


I was never lost, I only chose to never go home

by wearetheluckyones



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Alternate Universe - Non Famous, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Blow Jobs, Bottom Harry, Fluff, Hand Jobs, M/M, Riding, Rimming, Romance, Top Liam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-19 08:05:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 26,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8197063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wearetheluckyones/pseuds/wearetheluckyones
Summary: Liam’s family farm has always held a place for troubled kids sent by parents or looking for shelter. But Harry… Harry’s not like any other kid that’s ever been through. He’s different.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is based very heavily on Ties That Bind by Blindfolded on 1DFF. All credit for the idea goes to the author. She never finished the story and it totally killed me, so I’m vomiting out my own. I won’t use the same characters she did, nor will the storyline be the same, but there will definitely be some similarities. I also won’t be writing any love triangles (I think, if not well written, unlike Blindfolded’s, they’re tacky and cliché), and there won’t be any rape (it squicks me out). Harry will be a fucked up tosser, and Liam will be the nice supposedly straight farmer boy who wants to fix him. There’s also a bit of an age difference (17/18 to 21/22), because I wanted to explain Harry’s presence in a way that would make sense. I looked it up, and while the legal age of consent is sixteen, technically, it could still be considered illegal considering Liam’s in something of a position of trust, but when you get right down to it, it really wouldn’t hold up in a court. 
> 
> Title is from Monday by Matt Corby, one of my new favourite songs. I heard it after about twenty thousand words without a title and I knew I could find no better.

**Thursday the 16th of June, 2016**

When Liam’s parents had told him that they’d be having a boarder for the next year, he expected some prepubescent kid who’d had a spat and has been sent away to work off his anger issues; a kid he’d be babysitting for the next twelve months.

Harry Styles was not what he’d been expecting.

He’s not prepubescent, but he’s certainly angry. He’s been glaring into space since Liam picked him up from the train station in the pickup. He’s got his arms crossed over his chest and he looks like a child having a tantrum.

The old truck’s engine rattles every time Liam presses down on the accelerator, like a lone coin in a tin can, the only sound in the silence of the pickup’s cab. Liam looks at the boy every now and then, like he’s trying to make sure he’s still there, before he finally speaks.

“It’ll be alright, y’know.” He says, more to himself than Harry.

Harry looks at Liam and he sees his eyebrows raise through the curtain of his curls. “Yeah? Right. Whatever.”

Liam nods, turning down the next road. He taps his fingers on the steering wheel tunelessly before reaching over to turn the radio on. One of the farm hand’s’ve changed it again, most definitely Millie, and it’s on Absolute, so he changes the dial from 105.2 to 88.1. 

Harry makes a sort of snorting, choking noise in the passenger seat when Little Mix comes on, and Liam blinks over at him. “What? I like this song.”

He snorts again. “Right. ‘Course you do.”

Liam gives him a bright smile and sings along to the chorus, turning at the _Blackridge Farm_ sign, down the thin dirt road, past the empty paddocks.

He parks in the silver shed just to the left of the main house and turns the ignition off, smiling at Harry. He gets out of the pickup and waits patiently for Harry to follow. When he doesn’t, Liam opens the passenger door and holds his hand out.

“C’mon, then. Haven’t got all day.”

Harry crosses his arms and taps his fingers on his bicep, glaring ahead.

“Alright.” Liam says in a sing-song voice, unbuckling Harry and lofting him over his shoulder. Harry cries out and hits his back with his fist, yelling profanities into his ear. Liam kicks the door shut and heaves Harry into a more comfortable position before starting the trek to the back door.

“Rape! Rape!” Harry cries, hitting Liam’s back so hard it winds him, and he winces.

“Look, I’ll put you down if you shut up and go inside, alright?”

Harry falls silent, fists tight in Liam’s shirt. “Fuck, fine.”

Liam puts him back on his feet, and he cries out when he sinks into a puddle of mud. 

“Fuck me!”

Liam chuckles. “Cheers for the invite, love, but I don’t swing that way.”

Harry glares at him, left eye twitching before he storms away, back towards the truck.

“Oi, you said you’d come in if I let you down, didn’t you? Gone and changed your mind?”

Harry turns back to him and gives him the finger. “I’m getting my fucking _shit_.”

Liam raises his eyebrows, mouth twitching with the effort not to grin. “If you talk like that in front of Gracie, Mills’ll thrash you.”

“What the fuck ever.” Harry replies, scowling, heaving his suitcase out of the tray of the pickup.

Liam laughs. He already know Louis’s gonna love this little shit.

-*-*-

Harry sequesters himself in his assigned bedroom on the second floor after Liam leads him to it, and he stays there until suppertime.

His mum’s made a beef stew, with mash potato and vegetables, and he helps her set the table as Millie and his dad and the others shuffle in.

“Who’s going to call the lad down for dinner?” Liam’s mum says, looking around at everyone.

They all call out a _not me_ in quick succession, all but Liam, and he’s left with the job.

The spare bedroom is just at the top of the stairs, and Liam knocks on the old, white door with the paint peeling off before he opens it and peaks inside. Harry’s inside, on his back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling with unseeing eyes. “Dinners on the table.” When Harry doesn’t say anything, Liam’s mouth twitches with the effort not to grin. “I’ll put you over my shoulder again if you’re not downstairs in thirty seconds.”

“You know, this threat of physicality is getting pretty old.” Harry tells him, climbing off the bed and pushing past Liam to get out the door.

Liam watches him go, before Harry’s disappeared out of his line of sight and he finally follows him.

His mum puts Harry between himself and Gracie, and he sits there with his arms crossed over his chest while Liam’s mum serves them all.

Gracie’s quieter than she’s ever been before, and she keeps staring up at Harry, red curls bouncing every time she turns her head. She looks at Liam behind Harry’s back a few times, her eyebrows raised, and he snorts his amusement into his bottle of beer more than once.

Gracie’s not the only one who’s quieter. Everyone around the table seems more reserved at the new addition. His mum tries to strike up a conversation a few times, but it doesn’t really work out.

“So, Harry,” Liam’s dad tries, taking a sip of his beer and a forkful of mash. “Has Liam told you what you’ll be doing while you’re with us?”

Harry’s head snaps up, and then over to Liam. “Excuse me?”

“You didn’t think you’d be sitting on your arse all year, did you?” Millie snorts, eyebrow raised.

“Hush, Mills.” Liam tells her.

“Well my dad didn’t say shit when he sent me off, did he?” Harry snaps, crossing his arms over his chest again. He ignores Millie’s _oi!_ and she flips him off while his back’s turned. “Just tell me what I’m to do and get it over with.”

Liam’s parents exchange a look, before they both look back at him.

He rolls his eyes and turns to Harry. “You’ll work from eight til five, you’ll have an hour break at twelve for lunch, and you won’t work on Sundays. Anything I’ll be doing, you’ll be doing; mending a fence, herding the sheep, salting the hay. I’ll also be helping you with two projects. Firstly, you’ll be taking care of a stallion. His name is Jumanji, and he’s eleven years old. You’ll also be in charge of helping me milk the cows.”

Harry sighs, but he doesn’t say anything, moving the food around on his plate with his fork.

“And you’re going to start tomorrow.”

Harry looks over at him, face blank. “Whatever.” He says, pushing out his chair and stepping away from the table, out of the kitchen. Liam hears his footsteps up the stairs, slow and sure.

“Well.” George says, blinking from person to person.

-*-*-

**Friday the 17th of June, 2016**

Liam can tell Harry’s in a shitty mood when he meets him at the opening of the stables the next morning. He’s wearing the steel capped work boots Liam left at his door the night before, and a t-shirt that’s definitely acceptable, but his jeans are… well, they’re too tight.

“You need to change your trousers.” He tells Harry, though he knows it won’t make Harry any happier or nicer.

If looks could kill, Liam would be six feet under. “Fuck off.”

“I’m just telling the truth.” Liam replies, shrugging. “They’re too tight. You’ll be doing a lot of moving, and you can’t get your legs around the back of a horse in those things.”

Harry looks murderous and confused all at the same time, and Liam would laugh if he didn’t think it would earn him a sock in the face. “What? You want me to what?”

“You’ll be riding Jumanji.”

“No. No, absolutely not, not at all.”

Liam rolls his eyes and takes Harry’s wrist, pulling him into the stables.

“It fucking stinks in here!”

Liam rolls his eyes again and leads him towards the back, where Jumanji’s stall is. He sets Harry in front of the big grey horse and waves his hand towards him. “G’on, then.”

Harry scowls at him again before he lets out a long sigh and looks over at the horse in front of him. He looks a little shell-shocked, and at first Liam thinks it’s because he’s never been this close to a horse before, and he’s frightened, but he’s shocked himself when Harry finally speaks. “God, he’s fucking gorgeous. Can I… can I pat him?”

Liam smiles and nods. He thinks if he speaks he’ll ruin the moment for Harry, and he doesn’t want to do that.

Harry reaches his hand out very slowly, and stops just short of Jumanji’s muzzle. Liam’s about to tell him it’s alright when Jumanji presses his nose into Harry’s hand.

Harry lets out something close to a giggle before he chokes it off, rubbing his thumb down the bone of Jumanji’s facial crest. “Friendly.” He says, more to himself. “I’ve never… I’ve not…”

“Been this close to a horse before?”

Harry looks over at Liam and shakes his head, eyes wide and smile soft. “No. He’s… he’s beautiful, though. Like, more than any of the pictures I’ve seen. They’ve all been, like, black or brown, but he’s just… d’you know what I mean?”

Harry seems to suddenly shock out of his amazement and his face turns stoic again as he pulls his hand back. Liam decides to oblige him.

“You’ll feed him, clean him and clean his stall. And you’ll ride him, whether you want to or not.” Liam steps into the storage room and finds a pair of riding breaches he thinks will fit Harry, an old pair of his sister’s. He steps back out into the main room, where Harry’s watching him. “You’ll also be wearing these.”

Harry snatches them from Liam’s hands with a scowl and storms past him into the storage room, kicking off his shoes and unzipping his jeans.

Liam doesn’t realise he’s staring until Harry says, “Take a fucking picture, it’ll last longer.”

Liam rolls his eyes good-naturedly; he thinks he’s learning Harry really doesn’t mean what he says. He turns around and gives Harry some privacy, patting Jumanji’s muzzle.

Harry topples over pulling up the riding breeches, and Liam tries not to laugh at him, he really does, but he just can’t _not_.

“Fuck off, dick.” Harry grunt under his breath, as the breeches finally come up around his hips. They fit him perfectly, and Liam nods his acceptance as Harry tugs on his boots.

“See, don’t they feel much better? Now you aren’t cutting your circle-ation off.”

Harry snorts. “I think you mean circ _u_ lation, farmboy.”

Liam shrugs, still smiling brightly. “C’mon, then, I’m gonna teach you how to wash a horse.”

Liam does exactly that. He gets out the body brush, the curry and mane combs, and a couple towels. He attaches a halter to Jumanji to lead him out of his stall and instructs Harry to find the pail of warm water he brought into the stall, before handing him the curry comb.

“Work it on him in, like, circles. Go on.”

Harry glares at him and steps towards the horse, reaching out with the hand he holds the comb in. Jumanji whinnies when the comb finally touches him, and Harry jerks his hand back.

“He’s not going to bite, you know. He’s just telling you he likes having his hair brushed. He like his washes, don’t you Ju?” Liam gives Jumanji’s withers a pat.

Harry tries again, and Liam’s gotta hand it to him. He’s a stubborn bastard. Jumanji stays still this time, like he knows he’s freaking Harry out, and lets the poor kid brush the dirt from his coat. Liam mostly leaves him to it, watches him take care not to spook or hurt Jumanji, and only speaks up when he decides Harry has finished.

“What next then?”

Liam takes the curry comb and hands Harry a mane comb. “Just brush his mane like you would your own hair. I’ll help you when you do his tail.”

Harry sighs and reaches forward for a handful of Jumanji’s grey mane. He runs the comb through it a few times, carefully pulling at knots with his fingers. He does it over and over again until Jumanji’s mane is smooth and knot free, then he helps harry do the same with his tail.

“What now?”

It goes on like that until Jumanji’s clean and dry, and quite happy, munching away on a handful of sugar cubes Liam gives him while Harry washes his tail.

“So, what now?” Harry asks, once everything’s put away and Jumanji’s back in his stall.

“Now we go milk the cows.”

Harry makes a disgusted face and Liam laughs as he leads him out to the barn.

As the sun rose higher and higher in the sky and it got closer and closer to the end of the day, Harry got shitier and ruder. Liam could tell he was exhausted, he’d never done anything so physically demanding for so long before, but that didn’t mean he deserved to be called a _shit dick_.

By the time five finally rolls around, Liam’s about ready to tear his hair out and lock Harry in a cupboard. He tells his mum so when Harry heads upstairs to take a shower.

“He kept complaining and complaining and he was dragging his feet and I thought I was going to murder him before the end of the day. They only thing he seemed to like was Jumanji, and even then he wouldn’t give a single inch.”

His mum laughs as she stirs her pot of soup. “He’ll get used to it. I did. It’s hard at first, for someone who’s never done anything like this before. Give him a bit. And maybe give him some more time with Jumanji. It’ll help him get used to everything.”

Liam nods his head and smiles at her, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “Alright. We’ll do the cows first and then visit Jumanji. Give them a little more time together.”

His mum pats his shoulder. “Good lad. Go have a shower, you smell rancid.”

Liam raises his arm and shoves it close to his mum, laughing like a maniac as he runs away before she can catch him.

“You’re disgusting!”

He heads out the back door and over the hill to his little cottage and gets out of his clothes before he’s even in the bathroom.

-*-*-

**Saturday the 25th of June, 2016**

For the next week, Harry follows Liam around with more complaining than he’s ever heard from anyone before. He teaches him the ropes of the farm, and tries his best to get him up onto Jumanji’s back. Harry denies it until, the second Friday after he arrived, he looks like he’s had about enough, and he groans out a _fine_.

Liam grins at him. “That’s great, alright, c’mon, we’ll get him saddled, yeah?”

Harry sighs, but follows Liam to the stables nonetheless.

Liam instructs Harry to groom Jumanji, and then finds a saddle blanket and hands it to him.

Harry looks at it for a while before looking at Liam. “How do I?”

Liam smiles and steps forward, patting Jumanji’s withers. “This is his withers,” he says, nodding. “If you put the blanket so it reaches just here, so it‘s just behind his mane.” 

Harry does it, taking surprising care in making sure that it’s level on both sides of the horse’s back. He finds a black Western saddle and brings it back out to the main room and holds it out for Harry. Harry takes it, and groans when he realises how heavy it is, stumbling back and almost bumping into Jumanji. Liam catches his elbow before he does.

“It’s fucking heavy. Like, twenty kilos.”

Liam chuckles. “Not quite. It’s almost fourteen. Twenty kilos is too heavy for Jumanji.”

Harry nods. “Right, so what… what do I do now?”

Liam smiles again. “Take the stirrups and hold the above the saddle, so they don’t get caught under it.”

Liam’s gotta hand it to him, he tries pretty hard, but the saddle’s too heavy for him, and he just can’t get a hold of the stirrups. Liam helps him.

“Alright, so now you’re going to rock the saddle back and forth until it’s in position.”

Liam reaches behind and helps, unfolding the stirrups once it’s righted and where it needs to be, on the curve of Jumanji’s back. 

He steps away and nods. “Alright, now secure the front cinch tightly, but not too tightly.”

“Cinch?” Harry asks, looking back at Liam.

“The buckle under the stirrups.”

Harry nods, and goes about securing it. When he’s done, Liam instructs him to do the back cinch.

Liam smiles at him when he’s done, proud. “Alright, attach the breast collar, this strap here, and then lead him forward a few steps, so the cinches aren’t wrinkled.” Liam watches him do it. “Good, good. We’re all done. Are you ready to mount him?”

Harry’s face visibly pales and he shakes his head. “No… I don’t… I don’t think so.”

Liam tilts his head and watches Harry watch Jumanji. “It’s now or never. Either way, you’ll be getting up on him.”

Harry sighs and turns back to glare at Liam. “Prick.”

Liam smiles and shrugs. “C’mon, I’ll help you.”

Harry glares harder. “Fine.” He fits his foot into the stirrup and tries his best to kick himself up onto Jumanji’s back, jumping over and over again until he groans and scowls and gives up. “I can’t fucking do it.”

Liam smiles softly. “I’ll help you.”

Harry scowls again. “Fine.” He gets his foot back into the stirrup and waits until Liam gets his hands on his waist, before jumping up. Liam lifts him until he finally manages to get his other leg around Jumanji, his foot in the other stirrup.

“Alright, how do you feel?”

Harry’s silent for a long time, getting comfortable. “Tall.”

Liam laughs. “I’d suspect so. But do you feel secure? Safe?”

Harry takes Jumanji’s reins and shuffles again, voice quiet when he speaks. “I… I guess? A little nervous, but yeah, safe.”

Liam smiles and pats Harry’s knee. “For today, we’re going to walk around, okay? I’m going to saddle my horse, and when we walk, I’ll hold Jumanji’s reins. Would you like to come down, or are you okay to stay up there?”

Harry bites his bottom lip and thinks. “I’m alright. I don’t wanna have to get back up.”

Liam nods.

Once Poppy’s saddled, she’s got a halter on, and both Liam and Harry have helmets on, Liam climbs up onto Poppy’s back and takes Jumanji’s reins, leading the two horses out of the stables. 

They ride in silence for a while, down the driveway between the paddocks, slow as molasses, he doesn’t want to scare Harry, before Liam decides to speak. “May I ask what got you here?”

Harry’s fingers squeeze hard around the saddle’s horn. “I suppose you can ask.”

Liam nods. “Well?”

Harry sighs and hides behind a curtain of hair before he has a sudden burst of pride and sits up straight. “My dad’s girlfriend is a homophobic bitch who didn’t like it when I didn’t accept her sexual advances.”

Liam doesn’t quite know if Harry’s telling the truth, but he nods nonetheless.

Nonetheless, Harry seems to sense his doubt. “I’m not lying, don’t be a bastard.”

“Hey, I didn’t say anything.” Liam argues.

Harry shakes his head, and some of that self-assurance seems to slowly release from his features. “My dad believed her over me.”

Liam doesn’t speak, it won’t make a difference. Not about Harry, anyway. “You know, I failed my A-Levels so badly, they stapled a McDonald’s application to my report.”

Harry lets out a startled laugh, and Jumanji and Poppy both whinny their own amusement. “Are you serious?”

Liam chuckles. “Yeah. My principal hated me. I was always getting in trouble with my mates.”

Harry lets out something close to a giggle and it makes Liam smile.

“I wasn’t particularly smart, either, so I just stayed here after school. Didn’t bother with anything else.”

Harry smiles sadly, like he’s thinking about something, some different time. “The only time I ever got a grade below a B, it was year ten workshop and I failed. I couldn’t hand anything in because my dad threw my dollhouse at the wall when he’d found out I was gay.”

Liam doesn’t know what to say, what to do. Harry looks so lost.

“What are you anyway?” Harry asks as they reach the end of the dirt road, past the farm’s sign. “Like, I can usually tell, but you’re a blank for me.”

“What am I? Do you want to go back?”

Harry nods and Liam turns the horses around. “Like gay or straight or whatever?”

Liam looks over at him for a second, but then he looks back ahead of himself. He’s gotta keep his eyes on where the horses are going. “Straight.”

Harry laughs good-naturedly. “Boring.”

Liam gives him a bright smile. “Dear. There’s your social life out the window.”

Harry snorts and hits Liam’s chest with the back of his hand. “Prick!” He laughs.

Liam laughs with him. “I like this side of you.”

Harry frowns, but he’s still smiling. “Which side?”

Liam shrugs. “Happy. Approachable.”

Harry shrugs himself. “I haven’t felt alright for a bit. But you’re nice, I guess.”

Liam laughs again. “You guess!”

They rib each other all the way back to the farm until they’re both laugh so hard Harry falls into Liam climbing off Jumanji.

-*-*-

**Saturday the 9th of July, 2016**

Two weekends later, Liam and his dad are both really happy with how Harry’s working, so Liam’s dad lets him ask Harry out to the pub with his mates.

On Saturday afternoon, while they’re taking the horses back into the stables after herding the sheep into another paddock so, on Monday, they can clear the last paddock and reseed it.

“Hey, Harry?” Liam calls from the storage room in the stables, putting away Harry’s saddle. “My mates and I are going out for drinks at the pub tonight, dad said if you wanted you could come.”

Harry’s quiet, and Liam turns around to look at him to find him in the doorway, eyebrows raised in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah, ‘course.”

“Fuck yes, please. I need a break.” Harry nods vigorously and Liam smiles brightly.

“Great. We’ll leave at eight, yeah?”

Harry nods, grinning.

They go through the last of their jobs, and separate to get washed and ready. When Liam pops back into the house for supper, Harry’s looking happier than he’s ever seen him. He’s grinning, sitting at the table with his back straight. Liam laughs at him and ruffles his curls.

“You look happy, Harry.” Liam’s mum says as she sets a plate of little cut up pieces of stake and vegetables in front of Gracie.

Dimples Liam’s never seen before appear in Harry’s cheeks when he smiles brightly. “Liam says I can go out tonight.”

“Ah.” Liam’s mum says, smiling and nodding. “Well, don’t get too kippered. I know Liam will look after you, won’t you, Liam.”

Liam chuckles. “Yes, mum, ‘course I will.”

His mum pats his shoulder.

After dinner, they get into the pickup, and drive the half hour to Beaufort.

Liam’s mate Louis is waiting out the front of the pub smoking a cigarette when Liam and Harry finally arrive.

“Payno! Who’ve you brought me?” Louis asks, stomping out his cigarette and bouncing towards the car while Liam turns off the ignition. He smiles over at Harry through Liam’s window and winks at him. “Look at him, he’s so cute. What’s your name, little?”

Liam looks over at Harry and notices a blush creeping from his cheeks down his neck. “Harry.”

“Harry! Brilliant. I’m Louis. Well, c’mon, let’s get a pint in ya, Harry.”

They get of the car, and Louis takes Harry’s wrist to lead him inside while Liam brings up the back.

Niall and Zayn are inside waiting for them, with pints in hand, chatting with three lasses, all with dyed blonde hair. They disappear when Liam, Harry and Louis arrive.

“Payner!” Niall calls with a bright smile and a loud laugh, jumping into Liam’s arms so Liam has to catch him around his thighs. “I missed ye, cunt! Ye haven’t been out in yonks!”

Liam laughs and pats Niall’s back before putting him down. “Niall, this is Harry.”

Niall looks over at Harry with a grin. “Look at ye, so cute! How old are ye, lad?”

“17.” Harry says, looking particularly shy. It’s quite amusing and Liam feels quite fond.

“Yer a little lad! Don’t tell em yer age an’ I’ll get ye a pint, aye, lad?” Niall offers, grinning and patting Harry’s shoulder.

Niall and Louis disappear to get pints, and Liam leads Harry to the table to introduce him to Zayn.

”Zayn, this is Harry. He’s been staying at the farm.”

Zayn looks at Harry very closely, rolling an unlit cigarette between his fingers. “Hello, Harry.” He finally says, once he’s made his decision. “Doin’ alright tonight?”

Harry smiles shyly and nods. “Yes, thank you.”

There’s silence at the table until Louis and Niall reappear with pints and begin talking animatedly about Niall’s last gig where a woman had thrown her bra at him (which he still had for reasons Liam really didn’t want to think about).

“You’re a dirty fucker, Horan.” Louis tells him, smacking his shoulder with the back of his hand as he laughs. “You’ve got a boyfriend!”

Harry’s quiet, but he seems entranced in what the others are saying, and quite happy to stay silent while they speak.

He and Liam drink three pints apiece before there’s shots and Liam loses track.

Harry gets chattier when he gets drunker, and he tells Liam all about his life in London with his dad; his cat, his friends, his record player and vinyl collection. But nothing really… solid. Even while drunk, Harry doesn’t give a single inch.

-*-*-

**Sunday the 10th of July, 2016**

When Liam wakes up the next morning, Harry’s sprawled on his bed next to him, completely naked, snoring loudly. He doesn’t remember how they got to his cottage, and he can’t remember how they got into his bed, but he can’t really be fucked trying to remember when his head’s pounding.

He wonders briefly while Harry’s naked, and the sheets are bunched below his arse, but he has to look away when Harry starts waking up, turning onto his back and groaning.

“Shit, _shit_.” Harry grumbles, rubbing at his head and blinking his eyes open. “Fuck, Liam, where am I? Am I naked?”

Liam hums and sits up, rubbing at his face as his vision swims and his head pounds. “My cottage. I think you got yourself naked when we got to bed, I don’t know, I can’t remember.” He stands and looks down at himself. He’s not quite as naked as Harry is, but only wearing a pair of briefs, he’s naked enough. “I’m gonna have a shower, you can have one after me if you’d like.”

He heads into the ensuite and pulls his briefs down without bothering to close the door, turning the shower on to the perfect temperature and getting in.

He can just see Harry in the reflection of the mirror out the door, and he’s still lying in the bed, trying to get back to sleep, but he keeps blinking at the mirror; at Liam.

“You right in there, kid? Not dying?” Liam calls, rubbing the sweat and alcohol from his skin with his favourite apple soap. 

Harry groans his reply. “I swear I’m never drinking again.”

Liam laughs. “Liar.” He pours a dollop of shampoo on his hand and rubs his palms together before rubbing his fingers through his wet hair.

“Please shoot me in the head.”

Liam laughs again and washes the shampoo from his hair, tilting his head back so the water drips down his face. Once the shampoo’s gone, he washes his hair with the conditioner and watches Harry sit up and rub at his eyes in the mirror.

“Are you done yet? I need a shower.”

“If you _need_ a shower, you can always go back to the main house. Otherwise, be patient.” Liam replies, washing the conditioner from his hair. “I’ll only be a bit more, be patient.”

Harry snorts. “Maybe I’ll just get in with you.”

“If you even think about it, I’ll lock you in my cupboard.”

Harry laughs. “Kinky. Leave me in there, only take me out when you want a shag.”

“As if.” Liam snorts, turning off the water and climbing out of the shower, reaching for a towel and wrapping it around his hips. “You’re up, kid.”

Harry waves his hand as Liam enters the bedroom. “I’ll get up in a second.” He says, slow and heavy like he’s about to fall asleep again. Liam pulls the top drawer in his dresser open and reaches in for a pair of briefs, tugging them on. He drops the towel after the briefs are up his hips and pulls the next drawer open, finding a t-shirt, and a pair of tracksuit pants in the drawer below.

“Seriously, why are you so hot?” Harry groans as Liam tugs his track pants up his legs. “It’s so unfortunate.”

Liam laughs. “Unfortunate?”

Harry sighs loudly and waves his hand again. “Yeah. S’unfortunate. ‘Cause you’re straight.”

Liam laughs and pulls his shirt up over his head. “Are you still drunk?”

“I don’t think so, why?”

Liam laughs again. “Because people aren’t normal as chatty as you’re being when they’re sober.”

Harry shrugs and starfishes out across the bed. “I’m hungry.”

“Get showered and dressed and we’ll go up to the main house for something to eat.”

Harry groans. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do I have to get showered and dressed? It’s too much effort.”

Liam laughs. “You have to shower because you smell like stale beer and cigarettes, and you need to get dressed because you’re completely naked, and you’ll give my poor mum a heart attack.”

Harry groans again, pulling a pillow over his face. “I don’t wanna.”

Liam takes Harry’s hands in his and tugs him up, though he drops like dead weight, so it takes a moment for Liam to actually get him up. He walks him like a marionette into the bathroom and pushes him in the shower, turning the spray on.

Harry groans, but he stays in nonetheless, slumping against the wall while Liam goes to the cupboard in his bedroom for clothes for him, laying them out on the bed. He heads over to the fridge in the corner of his room and pulls out a bottle of water. There’s aspirin in the cupboard, and he takes two and a gulp of water, leaving another two and the rest of the water by the clothes he left out.

Harry’s not in the shower long, and when he’s out, he smells like Liam; like Liam’s shampoo, his soap, and Liam likes it more than he should. He likes it even better when Harry gets dressed in his clothes.

“So, back to the house?” Harry asks after he’s taken the aspirin, tugged on his shoes and picked up all his clothes. 

Liam hums.

They head up to the house and let themselves in the back door. Liam’s mum is in the kitchen making lamb stew, and Liam gives her a kiss on the cheek in greeting.

“How are you feeling this morning, Harry?” She asks, ignoring Liam’s complaint of _hey, what about me?_ in favour of getting Harry some water and sitting him down at the table.

“My head feels like it’s been trampled by elephants.” Harry says, groaning and whining extra, just for Liam’s benefit, winking at him when Liam’s mum isn’t looking.

“Oh, dear.” She says, shaking her head. Liam can tell she’s indulging Harry, now. “Well, you’ve got no jobs today, so you can rest. Perhaps you and Liam could take a ride.”

Harry looks absolutely delighted at the idea and Liam laughs. “Admit it.” He tells Harry. “You’re starting to like riding.”

Harry shrugs, but a smiles curves at the corner of his mouth. “A ride?”

Liam laughs again. “Alright, a ride.” He says definitively. “But take a nap first.”

Harry salutes him and heads out the door to the stairs, and Liam’s left in the kitchen with his mum wondering who the hell this new Harry Styles is, and why Liam likes him so much.

-*-*-

**Wednesday the 27th of July, 2016**

“Can I ask you a question?” Liam asks as he watches Harry carefully lead Jumanji. It’s his first time, and Liam doesn’t want Harry to get himself hurt because Liam wasn’t paying attention.

Harry nods. 

“You told me a couple weeks ago you haven’t felt alright since you got here, do you remember? Why? That is, why haven’t you been feeling alright?”

Harry sighs and shrugs, shifting in the saddle. “Just shit at home. I never really… I dunno.”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, Harry.” Liam says, reaching over to pat Harry’s knee.

Harry shrugs. “S’just… I never got along with my dad, I always wanted to be with my mum, but the courts decided I was better living with him and my sister with our mum.”

“Haven’t you tried to go back?”

Harry shrugs again. “Can’t. Not til I’m eighteen.”

Liam nods, patting Harry’s knee again. “You’ll be eighteen when you leave here, you can go back to her.”

Harry’s silent for a long time before, in a quiet voice, he says, “What if she doesn’t want me back?”

“Of course she’ll want you back. She’s your mum. She loves you.” Liam replies, pulling the horses to a stop so he can look at Harry. “You shouldn’t worry.”

“I can’t help it.”

Liam takes Harry’s hand and squeezes it. “I know you can’t. I can’t swear it to you, but I bet you she’s counting the days.”

Harry looks over at Liam and chuckles, face a little less cloudy than before. “Sounds about right.”

Liam kicks Poppy into a walk, and Harry follows. They’ve ridden out further this time, out over the stream and through the back of Liam’s parent’s property. Liam’s noticed that the further Harry gets away from people, the more likely he is to open up to Liam.

The silence is long and comfortable as they weave their way past trees and bushes.

“Are you going to go to university?” Liam asks, peering over at Harry.

Harry shrugs. “Maybe. I mean, I could, but sometimes I think I don’t want to.” He shrugs again and hums. “I wanted to be a nurse. But I also like cooking. Baking. Maybe I’ll open a cake shop.”

Liam smiles. “You’ll have to make me something sometime.”

Harry nods his agreement. “Definitely.”

They’re silent again before Liam says, “Wanna run?”

Harry’s eyes widen for a long moment before he grins and digs his heels into Jumanji’s side like Liam taught him, so he begins to gallop, sailing ahead of Liam and Poppy before Liam catches up, laughing. Harry’s getting pretty good at it. Liam might yet make a rider out of him yet.

When they reach the opening of the stables, Liam jumps down and heads around Poppy to help Harry down, hands around his hips. Harry smiles and thanks him, patting Liam’s pec affectionately, then pulls away from him, taking Jumanji’s reins and leading him into the barn. Liam follows.

“Y’know, my father kept letters and presents and cards and birthday invitations and shit from me. Just because he could? And he kept them, too! I found them in a box beneath his bed when I was twelve. It’s like he got off on making my mother think I hated her.”

Liam nods, but he doesn’t speak, he doesn’t think it would be welcomed. He watches Harry unbuckle the clinches of Jumanji’s saddle and detaching the breast clasp.

“I just don’t understand him sometimes! Is he doing it just to hurt me? Does he want me to suffer? My mum’s wedding for chrissakes!”

Jumanji whinnies at Harry’s raised voice, and he apologises to the horse instantly, patting his muzzle comfortingly.

“I just wish he’d leave me alone. I know he only took me in to piss my mother off. He’s been trying to get a leg up over her since before my sister was born.” Harry shrugs, taking the bit from Jumanji’s mouth, pulling the halter from over his head. He puts the halter on its hook and pats Jumanji’s neck. “I’ve wanted to run away since I was fourteen, go back to my mum’s. He always said if I did, they’d just drag me back to him. It’s so cliché, really, I’m like every other child of a manipulative parent. I do exactly what he tells me because I don’t know any fucking better.”

Liam nods. He moves over to Harry and Jumanji to help him lift the saddle and watches him carry it over to its stand.

“I think, when Christmas and New Year’s comes, I’ll just like, tell him I’m staying here and go see my mum.” Harry looks up at Liam. “Would your mum do that? Like, lie to my dad?”

Liam smiles. “I’m sure she would, considering the reason’s quite good. We can ask her, if you’d like.”

Harry nods.

They continue to divest the horses of their saddles and bridles and then groom them in silence. 

-*-*-

**Friday the 29th of July, 2016**

Liam gets a text from Louis after dinner, that just says _pub night, bring the kid_ , and while it’s a Friday, and both he and Harry have to work the next day, Liam known not to argue.

“Harry!” He calls from the kitchen, where he’s helping Gracie do the dishes (though he’s doing most of it).

Harry slides into the kitchen (literally slides. He does a _Tom Cruise in Risky Business_ , sliding across the linoleum) and grins when Gracie giggles. “You called?”

“Louis wants us to go out tonight. You up for it?”

Harry grins brighter. “Definitely. Are Karen and Geoff okay with it?”

Liam shrugs. “Don’t know. Can you ask them?”

 

Harry gives Liam a thumbs up and slides back out of the room.

“He’s so weird.” Gracie giggles into Liam’s side, body shaking with her laughs.

By the time Liam and Gracie have finished the dishes, Harry’s back in the kitchen, humming Bob Seger’s _Old Time Rock and Roll_ , with a bright grin on his face. 

“They say it’s all cool, but I gotta swap my day off for Saturday.”

Liam nods, helping Gracie up off her stool and watching her run out the door. “Alright. Get dressed and we’ll meet at the truck in half an hour?”

Harry nods and disappears again, leaving Liam shaking his head and laughing.

He dresses quickly, in jeans and a long sleeved black t-shirt, and his dad’s beat up leather jacket before heading out to the truck, waiting beside it for Harry.

They spend the drive arguing half-heartedly over radio stations, and when they get to the pub, Louis’s waiting out front smoking a cigarette like last time.

Liam and Harry hop out before Louis notices them, and sneak up on him to scare him.

“Fuck!” He yells when Harry yells _boo!_ “Don’t do that!” Harry giggles and Louis shakes his head, smiling. “You’re too cute to be angry at, go on, get inside, Niall’s setting up.”

“Niall’s on tonight?” Liam asks, eyebrows raised. He hasn’t seen Niall perform in months. He thinks Harry will like it.

“Yep. With Bressie and Ed. They’re doing their Irish shtick.” Louis tells Liam, nodding his head.

“What is it?” Harry asks, brushing his curls from his eyes.

Liam chuckles. “Every now and then Niall, Bressie and Ed do a whole heap of cheeky Irish pub songs. It’s just like a good laugh.” He turns to Harry and smiles. “You’ll like it, it’s good fun when you’re pissed, and everyone just pisses themselves laughing.”

Harry smiles back and Louis takes the last drag of cigarette, dropping it and stomping it out. They head inside and find Niall, Bressie and Ed have already started, singing about booze and the ruddy English and lasses with dark hair and big tits.

Liam gets himself and Harry a beer, heading back to the table, once he has them, where Harry, Zayn and Louis are all waiting, giggling.

Niall, Bressie and Ed’s performance is as funny as always, and when they’re done, they join Liam and the others at the table and they all drink until they’re thoroughly pissed.

It’s almost two when Liam and Harry finally decide to head home and Bressie, who was much less drunk then the rest of them, offers to drive them. They both hop into the back of Bressie’s huge truck while Niall takes the passenger.

Liam sits in properly, buckled up, but Harry decides to lie down, with his head in Liam’s lap, his arm reached up so his fingers can curl in Liam’s hair.

“I remembered, yeah, you drove us home when you were pissed, that’s well bad, Liam.” He says, tugging at Liam’s hair lightly, yawning.

“I wasn’t as pissed as you, love, you were nodding off in the passenger.” Liam replies, patting Harry’s chest. “I wasn’t gonna drive us off the road.” He looks up at the road and realises they aren’t heading back to the farm, but back to Niall and Bressie’s place. “Hey, hey, thought we were going home?”

Bressie shakes his head. “Too tired to drive the half hour there and the half hour back. I’ll take you back to the pub tomorrow so you can get the pickup.”

Liam nods slowly, digging his fingers under the hem of Harry’s shirt at his throat. “All good, just confused.”

They car goes silent again, before Harry tugs at Liam’s hair so he’d look down at him. “Yeah?”

“Can we go riding tomorrow?”

Liam smiles. “You like riding, don’t you?” Niall snorts, but Liam decides to ignore him.

Harry nods, pulling his hand back and turning onto his side, facing the front. He then takes Liam’s hand, the one that was on his chest, and puts it in his hair. “Pat me.”

Niall giggles. “Not in me back seat, lads, I don’t want to clean it up.”

Harry gives Niall the finger, and he cackles in response.

Liam runs his fingers through Harry’s hair, and smiles sleepily when he lets out something close to a purr, sighing happily, his body vibrating with it.

Liam’s half asleep when they finally reach Niall and Bressie’s house on the edge of town, and he has to shake Harry awake to get him to move from his lap.

Niall sets them up in the spare room, and Liam has to help Harry take a few aspirin, drink some water, and get undressed, because he refuses to do it himself. He puts Harry in bed, then follows the same routine; taking aspirin, drinking water and getting undressed, before climbing into bed next to Harry.

“Can I ask you a question?” Harry says, after a long moment of silence.

Liam nods, and then hums a _yes_ when he realises Harry won’t have seen it.

Harry turns to face Liam, and he can just see the outlines of his face. “Can I kiss you?”

“I… Harry, I don’t think…” Liam bites his lips. “You’re drunk, Harry. I’m drunk. Maybe, if you still want to tomorrow.”

“Maybe?”

Liam takes a deep breath and nods. “Maybe.”

Harry leans over, and Liam thinks he’s going to kiss him anyway, but he only nuzzles his face into the crook of Liam’s neck, sneaking closer so their bodies are pressed together.

“Good night, Harry.”

Harry hums, his hair tickling Liam’s chin. “G’night, Liam.”

-*-*-

**Saturday the 30th of July, 2016**

When Liam wakes, there’s a heavy weight across his chest and stomach, and it makes bile rise in his throat. He’s got a splitting headache, he needs to piss, and his entire body feels like absolute crap.

“Harry, get off. Harry.” Liam complains, pushing Harry off him so he can get up and find his way to the toilet.

Once he’s had a piss, had a half a dozen aspirin (not really), and drank two glasses of water, and his stomach’s finally settled, he takes more aspirin and water back to Harry. He’s lying flat on his stomach, with his head beneath a pillow, and the sheets are down below his bare arse, which is just… very nice to look at, Liam will admit, though he remembers Harry was wearing briefs the night before.

“Liam, I’m dying.” Harry groans, voice muffled underneath the pillow. “I’m _dying_.”

Liam chuckles, sitting next to Harry on the bead and pulling the pillow out of Harry’s hands. “C’mon, mate, I’ve got water and aspirin.”

Harry groans, turns onto his back and sits up, blinking blearily at Liam, taking the water and aspirin while Liam makes a point of _not looking down_.

“Okay?” He asks when he takes the empty glass back from Harry, putting it on the bedside table. “How are you feeling?”

Harry groans and lays down again, turning onto his side and pulling the blanket up and over his head. “I’m dying.” He repeats, rolling onto his stomach with his face pressed into Liam’s thigh. Liam rubs his back when he groans again.

“You drank quite a bit last night. If you need to throw up, let me know.” He tells Harry, running his fingers through his hair softly, scratching his nails on Harry’s scalp until he melts into the bed.

“Keep doing that.” Harry murmurs, tucking his arm under Liam’s knee, breathing into his skin. “S’nice.”

Liam smiles softly. “D’you remember what we were talking about last night, Harry?”

Harry hums, but it’s neither affirmative, nor dissentive. 

“Harry?”

Harry silent for a moment before he looks up at Liam. “I was drunk, Liam, I… I didn’t know what I was saying.”

Liam smiles slowly and pushes Harry’s fringe from his eyes. “Are you sure, love? Drunk words are sober thoughts.”

Harry’s cheeks flush and he presses his face into Liam’s knee. “I know you’re straight, Liam.”

“Not as much as I thought I was.”

Harry looks back up at Liam. He doesn’t speak, he just… looks.

“Do you still want to kiss me?”

Harry’s still for a long moment before he hides his face again and nods, mumbling, “Yes.”

Liam smiles again and rubs his fingertips down Harry’s shoulders and upper back. “Come up here, then.”

Harry looks back up at Liam before climbing to his knees, staring at Liam’s mouth without moving towards him.

Liam’s hand is still on Harry’s shoulder, so he slides it up to Harry’s cheek and pulls him forward slowly, so Harry knows what he’s doing, and he won’t spook. He doesn’t want to spook him. When their lips finally meet, it’s soft and slow, and Harry’s mouth is small and soft and wet, but not too wet. Harry whimpers into his mouth and pushes closer, wrapping his arm around Liam’s shoulder, pressing their chests together. He likes it, kissing a boy, so much more than he ever though he would.

Liam’s not sure how long they kiss, but when they finally pull apart, they’re both breathing hard, and Harry’s cheeks are flushed. “Yeah?” He asks, just to make sure.

Harry curls his fingers around the back of Liam’s neck, and pulls him close, kissing him hard, harder than before, licking his way into Liam’s mouth, and _Jesus Christ_ is it nice. Really, it’s just like kissing a girl, but _so much nicer_. He feels his cock taking an interest and he kisses Harry harder, biting his lip softly and curling his fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. Harry starts pulling Liam closer, until they’re almost falling back on the bed, and Liam realises that’s what Harry wants. He puts and arm around Harry’s back and holds them both up with the other, lowering them onto the bed carefully, pressing their bodies together so he can feel Harry’s cock, half hard against his hip, and Harry can probably feel Liam’s own.

Harry pulls away. “You’re hard.”

“Sorry.”

Harry shakes his head. “Don’t be. You know I am, too. But… can I?”

Liam frowns, he doesn’t know what Harry means, not until Harry sneaks his hand between them and presses his palm against the curve of Liam’s cock.

“Okay?” Harry says, licking his bottom lip and squeezing Liam’s cock, just a little, so Liam feels it. 

Liam nods and leans down to kiss Harry again. He grinds slowly into Harry’s hand and licks into his mouth. “What do you want to do, Harry?” He asks when he pulls away.

Harry squeezes Liam’s cock in his hand and flicks his fringe from his eyes. He gives Liam a look that he can only describe as absolute _sex_ , and Liam feels his cock twitch hard and blurt precome.

“Okay, alright, yep.” Liam says, swallowing and pressing down for another kiss, pushing Harry a little further up the bed so his head’s on the pillow.

Harry pulls away and kisses the corner of Liam’s mouth. “Come up here.”

Liam frowns. “I am up here?”

Harry shakes his head. “No, I wanna suck your cock.”

“Shit.” Liam groans, fucking his hips into Harry’s. “Yeah, yep, let’s do that.”

Harry chuckles as Liam stumbles his way up Harry’s body before remembering he’s still wearing his briefs and getting off the bed to tug them up. 

He climbs back on top of Harry, knees around Harry’s ribcage, where he stops again to ask, “Okay?”

Harry rolls his eyes. “If you don’t stop asking, I’m going to push you off the fucking bed.”

Liam knees his way up Harry’s body until his balls hit Harry’s chin, and they both laugh. Liam slowly feeds Harry his cock, taking in big deep breaths and letting them out slowly, grabbing onto the headboard with white knuckles.

Harry’s mouth is so warm and wet, and his tongue is wicked. He licks at Liam’s tip and sucks around the head until Liam is groaning, chewing his lip until it hurts.

“Fuck, Harry, your mouth.”

Harry’s so, so good with his mouth, and Liam has to stop himself from grinding his hips, he doesn’t want to hurt him. He reaches down and curls his fingers in Harry’s hair softly, running his thumb over Harry’s closed eyelid. 

Harry’s mouth sucks Liam down until he’s so deep the tip of his cock is touching the back of Harry’s throat. Harry gags and pulls back off, mouthing at the tip.

“Harry, I’m gonna, I’m gonna pull out, okay?”

Harry blinks his eyes open and stares up at Liam before finally nodding as best he can with Liam still in his mouth. Liam pulls out and climbs back down Harry’s body so he can take Harry’s face in his hand and kiss him softly.

“Can I… Harry, can I fuck you?”

Harry’s silent for so long Liam thinks he’s gonna say no, but then he nods, slow and deliberate. “Yeah, yeah, I want that.”

“Have you… before?”

Harry nods, and Liam would wonder if he was lying if he didn’t look totally sure.

Liam smiles. “Okay. I’ve not, so you might have to like… tell me if I’m doing something wrong?”

Harry nods again, leaning up for a kiss pressing their mouths together hard. “I will. Check in the drawers, see if Niall and Bressie have left lube.”

Liam chuckles. And goes straight to the top drawer on the right side; the tube’s still there. “I found it last year, they keep one in every room in the house.”

Harry chuckles, kissing Liam again. “Do you want me to do it, or do you want me to talk you through it?”

Liam frowns for a second before he catches on. “Fingering you?”

Harry nods. “You gotta do it first, or it hurts.”

Liam kisses Harry again. “I don’t want it to hurt. Talk me through it?”

Harry smiles softly and nods, lifting his knees and planting his feet on the bed around Liam’s hips. “Pass me the lube and your hand.”

Liam does, and watches closely as Harry slathers his fingers in lube. “What now?” He asks when Harry’s done.

Harry smiles. “Kneel down between my legs and like, put your middle finger in.”

Liam nods. He kneels down so he can see Harry’s hole, and for a second it takes his absolute breath away. It’s so small and pink, and Liam has no idea how he’s going to fit his entire cock in it. He chews on his bottom lip and carefully presses the tip of his middle finger against Harry’s hole, just barely pushing in. God, he’s so _tight_.

“Push in further, Liam, it’s okay.” Harry says, voice a little tight.

Liam bites his lip harder and pushes past the tight ring of muscle and slowly slides his finger in to the knuckle.

Harry hums out a long breath. “There you go.”

“What next?”

Harry chuckles and fidgets into a more comfortable position, squeezing his hand around his thigh. “Just… crook your finger, like up, towards my cock, and just, like, look for a little nub, yeah?”

Liam nods. He think Harry means his prostate, so he goes looking for it, wiggling his finger around until he finally finds a rounded nub that makes Harry whimper low in his throat.

“Yeah, yeah, that, that’s good.” Harry hums, spreading his legs wider, body relaxing into the bed. “Add your forefinger.”

Liam nods, and pulls his finger out until only the tip is left in and then fits in the tip of the next finger in, pushing them in slowly, watching Harry’s face for signs of pain. He winces, but only once, and when Liam tries to pull his fingers out, he stops him, taking Liam’s wrist and pushing his fingers in to the knuckle. Liam touches Harry’s prostate again, and he whimpers, nodding his head.

“Yeah, yeah, keep doing that.”

Liam strokes Harry’s prostate, and leans over to press his mouth to Harry’s knee, before Harry grabs his wrist again.

“Scissor your fingers, babe, like… yeah, like that.”

Liam scissor his fingers apart, stretching Harry’s hole as best he can. “That feel okay?”

Harry whimpers and nods his head, squeezing Liam’s wrist in his hand. “Yeah, yeah. When you… like, want to, add the third finger.”

Liam nods.

He fits a third finger inside Harry after a while, stretching and prepping, and once he’s finally decided Harry’s ready, he pulls his fingers out completely and goes through the top right drawer again, searching for a condom.

“What are you doing?” Harry asks, blinking at Liam, confused.

“Condom.” He grunts simply, patting Harry’s hip before finally pulling a little packet out of the drawer with a triumphant _yes!_

He rips the packet open and carefully rolls the condom on his cock, pouring lube over it.

“Okay?”

Harry laughs. “Stop asking or I’ll kick you.”

Liam rolls his eyes. “How do you want to do it?”

Harry blinks down at him. “Like this, but, like, pass me your arm?” Harry takes Liam’s arm and hooks it under his knee, then does the same with the other. “Okay?”

Liam nods, unhooking one arm so he can take a hold of his cock and pressing the head to Harry’s slick hole. He knows Harry will kick him, but he says, anyway, “Okay?”

Harry rolls his eyes. “Shut up and fuck me, you dickhead.”

Liam rolls his own eyes and finally pushes his cock into Harry. He’s so tight, and his hole grips Liam like a vice. He’s warm and slick, and Liam doesn’t think he’s going to last long.

“Jesus Christ.” Liam groans, looping his arm back under Harry’s knee as he slides in completely, hips pressed into Harry’s arse.

Harry’s face is a little tight, and his erection has flagged just a little, so Liam waits until he relaxes again before pulling out and pushing back in.

He creates a rhythm, pushing in and out, slow but deep, that pulls little moans from deep in Harry’s chest, his hands fisted in the sheets beside him.

“Go faster, Liam, faster.”

Liam obliges, picking up the pace, fucking his cock into Harry until he’s whimpering, head flung back, throat bared. He fucks harder and faster until his hips are a blur of movement, and Harry’s whimpering and begging.

“God, Liam, please, I wanna come.”

Liam leans forward and presses his mouth to Harry’s, kissing him sloppily, licking into his mouth.

When Liam is close, he licks his hand and curls it around Harry’s cock, pulling him off to the same rhythm as his thrusts.

Liam comes first, his hips stuttering as he spills into the condom, squeezing his hand around Harry’s cock so he follows, whimpering Liam’s name into his neck.

Liam presses one last kiss to Harry’s mouth before he pulls out, tugging of the condom and tying it off. He gets up off the bed to put the condom in the bin and finds a box of tissues to clean the come from Harry’s cock and belly.

Liam gets back into the bed and pulls the sheets up their bodies, curling around Harry’s back. “We have to get back to the farm at some point.”

Harry nods. “Later.”

Liam agrees.

-*-*-

Bressie drives them back to the pub where they pick up the truck and take it back to the farm. They separate for showers and then meet back up at the stables, saddling the horses for a ride.

“God my arse hurts.” Harry complains when Liam helps him up on Jumanji’s back.

“You okay?” Liam asks, blinking up at him. “We don’t have to if it hurts. Was I too rough?”

Harry snorts, reaching down to ruffle Liam’s hair. “Shut up and get up onto Poppy you silly shit. I was just whining for the sake of whining.”

Liam rolls his eyes. “Yes, sir.” He laughs, putting his foot in the stirrup and lifting himself up onto Poppy. “Where are we going then, Haz?”

Harry shrugs, nudging Jumanji into movement with his heels. He’s getting quite good at, Liam will admit. Liam follows him on Poppy.

They head up the hill behind the house and Liam leads them to the pond at the edge of the property. Harry hasn’t seen it yet, and Liam thinks he’ll like it.

When they reach it, Harry’s eyes are wide, like a kid on Christmas. “Help me down, I wanna see.”

Liam chuckles and jumps down from Poppy, tying her to a tree then heading over to help Harry down and tie Jumanji to the same tree.

The pond itself is secluded by trees and bushes, and it’s no more than fifteen feet across both ways, but it’s as deep as the height of an average full grown man right in the middle.

“How come I haven’t seen it before?”

Liam shrugs. “I dunno, I supposed I forgot for a bit. No real reason really.”

Harry laughs and shakes his head at Liam before he starts stripping off his t-shirt and kicking off his boots and socks.

“What are you doing?” Liam asks him, frowning in amusement.

“Going for a swim, c’mon.” Harry reaches over for the hem of Liam’s own t-shirt and begins tugging it up. “C’mon, Liam, live a little.”

Liam sighs and lifts his arms so Harry can pull his shirt up, smiling fondly at him.

Once Liam’s shirt is gone, he kicks off his shoes and socks, and Harry’s fingers find the button of his jeans. He pulls it from the hole and tugs the zipper down, giving Liam a cheeky smile. He pushes Liam’s his jeans down so they fall to the ground before getting his own jeans and briefs down, jumping into the water while Liam stands at the bank.

Harry dips his head underwater and comes back up, pushing his wet hair back, and Liam feels stuck in the moment.

“C’mon, hurry up.” Harry says, raising his eyebrows.

Liam rolls his eyes. “Close your eyes.”

“Why? You had it in my arse, not much point, is there?”

Liam bites his lip. “Suppose not?” For a moment, he stays stock still as Harry watches, before he finally pulls down his briefs and wades into the pond towards him.

“Hi.” Harry smiles brightly, sliding up close to Liam, curling his arms around his hips.

Liam smiles back, squeezing his hands around Harry’s biceps. “Hi.”

“It’s cold in here.”

Liam chuckles. “A bit.”

“Can I tell you a secret?”

Liam nods.

“I like it here.”

“It is quite nice.”

Harry shakes his head, smiling in fond amusement. “Not in the pond. The farm. It’s… nice. I feel… good here. Happier.”

Liam smiles and presses his forehead to Harry’s. “You do seem a lot happier than the day I met you.”

“I think I want to stay here.” Harry whispers, looking down. “I don’t want to go back.”

Liam nods, but he doesn’t speak. They’re silent for so long that he can hear everything around him, but then Harry’s grinning cheekily and pushing Liam back, under the water.

-*-*-

**Monday the 1st of August, 2016**

Liam’s never seen Harry as pissed as he is after he finishes a phone call with his father two Mondays later.

“Are you okay?”

Harry’s mouth turns down in a scowl and he crosses his arms over his chest. He looks like he’s trying his best not to kick the stable wall. “Fucking cunt, he’s a fucking cunt, I’m not okay, I’m livid.” He stomps over to Jumanji’s stall, and takes a deep breath before he steps inside, curling his arms around the horse’s neck and pressing his face to Jumanji’s face. “I’m so angry. I’m so, so angry.”

Liam bites his lip, and reaches out towards him to run his fingers through Harry’s hair. “Do you wanna talk about it, Haz?”

Harry takes a deep breath. “I called him to ask for mum’s number, and he told me he’d _forgotten_ to tell me that my mum got married last month, and I’d been invited. He didn’t give me her number, either, fucking prick.”

Liam rubs his back comfortingly. “I’m sorry, Haz.”

“I’m so, so angry.” Harry says, sighing. His body is shaking, and Liam watches Jumanji press his face closer to Harry, like he’s trying to comfort him. “I’m just… I don’t know how not to be angry. Can we go for a ride or something? Will you fuck me? I just… I need to calm down, I need to… I need to calm down.”

Liam runs his fingers through Harry’s curls, scratching at his scalp soothingly. “Whatever you want, Harry. We can go for a ride, bring blankets. I can fuck you by the pond.” Harry nods slowly, blinking over at Liam. “But I think, on Sunday, we should go visit your mum.”

Harry frowns. “How? I don’t know where she lives.”

“You told me she lived in Holmes Chapel when you lived with her, and mum thought if we went there, someone could point us in her direction. It’s a small village, people will know her.”

Harry nods, closing his eyes again. “Yeah, yeah I’d like that.”

Liam nods. “Alright, go get a couple blankets and the stuff from my place, maybe some food?”

Harry nods and pulls away from Jumanji, sliding past Liam and out the stables.

Liam saddles the horses while he waits for Harry, pulling the horses out of the stables and feeding them both an apple each so they’re happy.

Harry reappears after a moment with a backpack over one shoulder and a blanket in his hands, and he gives Liam a sad smile. “Okay?”

Liam nods and puts his hands around Harry’s hips when he’s got a foot in the stirrup and hands around the horn to help him up. “Come here.” He says, crooking his finger so Harry will lean down. He kisses his mouth and then his forehead. “Are you doing okay?”

Harry nods. “Yeah, let’s just… go, let’s go, I need to go.”

Liam nods and runs his fingers through Harry’s hair before pulling away to climb up onto Poppy’s back. “Walk or run?”

Harry’s lips curl just a little and Liam knows what he’s going to say before he even says it. “I wanna run.”

The nudge the horses into a walk, and then faster and faster until they’re racing past buildings and through paddocks, past animals and Millie who sends them a wave.

They reach the pond in half the time it normally takes, and set up one of the blankets on the bank, the other two folded in one corner, and a box of sandwiches and two bottles of water on top of it.

“Do you want to go for a swim first?”

Harry nods, pulling at the hem of his shirt. Liam follows, and they both get undressed before jumping into the pond. 

“Come here.” Harry says when they’re both chest deep, crooking his finger towards himself.

Liam smiles softly and wades closer, leaning down to take Harry’s thighs in his hands, lifting them around his hips. He feels so light like this, weightless, not that he was ever particularly heavy out of the water. “Better?”

Harry nods, wrapping his arms around Liam’s neck. “Quite.” He leans down and presses their mouths together, licking into Liam’s, playing with his tongue. “You taste like coffee.”

Liam chuckles. “Yeah, I had one while you were on the telephone.”

Harry nods and licks his lips, and Liam watches the movement of his tongue. “I do like it.” He tells Liam, kissing him again.

As they kiss, Liam feels Harry’s cock chub up next to his own, and presses a hand against the small of his back to pull him closer and grind their dicks together. Harry whimpers his appreciation into Liam’s mouth and his arms and legs tighten around him. 

Harry pulls away from Liam, and Liam licks his taste from his own mouth. He tastes like the single beer he had with lunch and the grape sweets his mum keeps in a box in the cupboard he’s just found. “I want you to lick me out. I mean, if you want to.”

Liam doesn’t say anything for a moment, he just presses his forehead to Harry’s. “I don’t know how, but if you want me to, then I will, definitely.”

Harry smiles softly. “I really like you, y’know. You’re fantastic.”

Liam chuckles. “I’m a little more than fantastic.”

Harry rolls his eyes, then his face turns soft, his smile small but real. “You are. Really.” Harry bumps their heads softly. “You’ve breathed new life into me.”

Liam kisses Harry again. “C’mon, let’s get out of the water.”

Harry nods, and Liam carries him to the bank, placing him down on his feet. Liam watches as he shakes the water from his skin like a dog and laughs as it splashes onto him.

“Silly boy.” Liam tells him, flicking water from his skin before lying back on the blanket, staring up at the bright blue sky. Harry’s face suddenly appears in his vision, wet hair dripping onto his face, in his eyes. Liam pointedly does not stare at Harry’s cock, though he knows he has permission to do so. “What are you doing up there, then? Come down here.”

Harry kneels down by Liam’s side them lies on top of him, pressing his face into the crook of Liam’s neck while he wraps his arms around Harry’s waist. He’s so warm, even still wet, and he feels right in Liam’s arms.

Liam presses an opened mouth kiss to his throat. He smells like his normal cologne, and the pond, and the sun. “D’you wanna ride my face? I haven’t done it with a guy, but I figure it’s the same principles.”

Harry chuckles. “You confuse me terribly.”

“Why?”

Harry shrugs and leans up on his elbows. “You just… you’re so sweet, you’re the sweetest guy I know, but then you say the filthiest things. You’re a complete contradiction.” Harry scoffs, but it’s mostly in amusement. “ _’D’you wanna ride my face’_. Jesus, where did you even come from?”

Liam chuckles and raises up to kiss Harry, pulling their bodies together tight. “Well? Are you going to?”

Harry rolls his eyes and sits up on his knees, moving upwards until he’s situated over Liam’s chest. “So impatient.”

Harry shrugs, grinning.

He moves further up until he’s over Liam’s face and all Liam can see is his cock and his balls and his hole.

Harry’s asking Liam if he needs to be talked through it when Liam finally gets his mouth on Harry’s skin. He presses a kiss to Harry’s hole, and tastes the water on his skin. He’s smooth, like he shaves or waxes or something, and Liam likes it more than any shaved pussy he’s ever eaten out. He licks his tongue out against Harry’s skin, and he whimpers above him, falling onto his hands above Liam’s head.

“You’re so slow, slow like a snail.” Harry chuckles, reaching down to tug at Liam’s hair.

Liam licks at Harry again, tongue flicking back and forth against the puckered skin before finally pushing in just a little, just enough that Harry will feel the pressure.

“Fuck.” Harry mumbles, letting out a deep breath, slow and long. “That’s good.”

Liam hums and does it again, wiggling his tongue and trying to push further in. 

“Little bit longer, love, then I’ll ride you, okay?” Harry murmurs, grinding against Liam’s face so he can’t breathe for a moment, then pulling back up so Liam can flick his tongue over his hole.

When Harry finally decides he’s done, he climbs off of Liam without warning him, riffles through the bag and comes back up with the lube and the condom.

Liam watches in absolute amazement as Harry preps himself, long fingers stretching his hole and readying it for Liam’s cock, before he puts the condom on Liam’s cock and slicks it with lube. He climbs into Liam’s lap and takes his hand in his own, pulling him up so he’s sitting too.

“Like this?” Liam asks, curling his arms around Harry’s waist.

Harry nods, reaching back behind himself to take Liam’s cock in his hand, and press the head to his hole. He pushes down slowly, eyes closed, breathing in deep, and Liam’s eyes follow him the whole time.

Harry’s so warm and tight, and Liam moans when he deliberately squeezes hard around him, chewing at his bottom lip. “Shit, Harry.” 

Harry grins cheekily and presses a hard kiss to Liam’s mouth, raising up on his cock and falling back down with a deep groan. 

He does it over and over again, creating a rhythm that has them both moaning into each other’s mouths, squeezing each other tight until they both come, crying their pleasure into the sky.

-*-*-

**Sunday the 6th of August, 2016**

“I’m not sure I want to do this anymore.” Harry says from the passenger side of the pickup as Liam parks it out front a bakery on the main road of Holmes Chapel. He looks as pale as a sheet, and Liam takes his hand and squeezes it tight. “Maybe we should go back, she might not want to see me.”

Liam shakes his head and leans over to kiss Harry’s hair. “You’re her son, of course she wants to see you, c’mon, I’ll be right there with you.”

Harry finally nods and pulls away from Liam to get out of the car. Liam follows him.

“Where should we go in to ask?”

Harry nods at the bakery. “Here’s fine.”

Liam smiles and follows him inside, staying by his side while Harry approaches the counter where an older woman waits, smiling at him kindly.

“How can I help you dear?”

Harry bites his lip before he says, “Uhm, could you, uh, could you tell me where Anne Styles lives?”

The woman frowns and shakes her head for a moment before her face lights up with recognition. “Do you mean Anne Cox, dear?”

Harry shrugs. “I don’t… I only know…” He can’t finish his sentence.

The woman smiles at him kindly. “Anne lives down Bower, two streets to the east, number twenty-three. I don’t know if she’s home, though, dear, her daughter started at the university in Manchester and she visits her often.”

Harry’s face falls, and his eyebrows pinch together. “Okay, I’ll… alright, I’ll go see.”

The woman nods. “What’s your name, dear?”

Harry bites his lip again. “Uh, Harry.”

“Harry?” Liam knows she’s caught on, can see it in her smile. “Anne had a little boy named Harry. You wouldn’t happen to be that little boy, would you, Harry?”

Harry shrugs. “Not so little anymore, really.”

The woman chuckles softly. “You were five, last time I saw you, came in all by yourself while your mum waited outside and bought your bread. You were very pleased with yourself.”

Liam smiles and watches Harry’s cheeks colour.

“I’m sorry, I don’t… I don’t remember you.”

She smiles and shakes her head. “It’s alright dear.” She looks around for a moment before she picks up a paper bag and a pair of tongs, putting an apple Danish into the bag. “It’s her favourite. Go on, take it.” Harry reaches for his wallet, but the woman chuckles and shakes her head. “Don’t be silly. Go on, get on with you, go see your mum.”

Harry nods, and he takes Liam’s wrist in his hand and pulls him out of the shop. “My hearts beating a mile a minute.” He tells Liam, panting like he’s out of breath. “I’m so nervous.”

Liam smiles softly and curves his hand around Harry’s cheek, under his fringe, pressing forward for a quick peck. “Don’t be, Harry, I’m right here with you.”

“Maybe we… shouldn’t? Like, they don’t know me yet, what if they…”

Liam chuckles. “I’m escorting you to a mother you haven’t seen in years, they’re going to suspect whether or not we kiss, might as well give them a show.”

Harry rolls his eyes and pushes at Liam’s chest playfully. “Stupid man.”

“C’mon, let’s go. Go see your mum.”

Harry bites his lip again, but he nods. “Okay.”

They take the next street on their left and follow it down until it crosses Bower. Twenty-three is an old stone house with a garden full of roses, where a woman sits, in an old white painted iron chair, drinking from a mug and reading a book. She’s really quite gorgeous and Harry gasps a little when he sees her, and Liam knows she’s his mum.

They’re across the road from the house, and Harry’s feet are glued to the foot path, his face a horrifying mix of pale and beet red.

“We can wait a little, right here.” Liam tells him, rubbing his back.

Harry shakes his head and chuckles, but it’s really not an amused chuckle, it’s really more of a _freaked the fuck out_ chuckle. “I think she’d find it a bit weird, two men standing on the corner of the street staring at her. No, we’ll do it now.”

Liam nods. “I’m right here.”

Harry takes the first few steps towards the road hesitantly before taking a deep breath and walking across it, much more sure.

He stops in front of the front gate and looks at Liam before he calls out a soft, “Hello?”

The woman, Harry’s mum, looks up, shielding her eyes from the sun. She doesn’t say anything, nor does she move for a long time, before, finally, she puts the book and the mug down, and stands. She walks towards the gate and stands facing Harry for almost a minute, then says, “You look just like your grandfather did at your age.”

Harry’s cheeks flush, and he steps closer to the gate, and closer to his mum. “I wasn’t… dad didn’t turn me against you, he just, he never gave me any letters or anything, but I found them sometimes so I knew you sent them.”

Harry’s mum smiles softly and nods. “Des was always a real arsehole.”

Harry laughs. “Agreed.”

Anne Cox rushes forward and embraces her son in a bone crushing hug. They both gasp big, snotty sobs and Liam feels a bit like he’s intruding.

“Look at your hair, love, it’s so curly! And those dimples.”

“I missed you so much, mum.”

“You too, baby. You too.”

When they finally pull apart, cheeks red and wet, Harry looks back at Liam and gives him a happy smile. 

Liam smiles back.

-*-*-

After Harry hangs out with his mum all day, their parting is filled with tears. Harry curls up in the passenger of the pickup on the way back to the farm, with Liam’s hand on his knee and his sunglasses over his eyes, like he’s pretending Liam hasn’t already seen him cry.

He’s silent the whole ride, and when they finally get back to the farm, Liam thinks Harry’s going back up to his bedroom in the house, but instead he heads straight past Liam and towards the stables, disappearing inside. For a moment, Liam stays by the truck and tries to decide whether or not he’ll follow, before he finally does, and finds him in Jumanji’s stall with his arms around the horse’s neck.

“She asked me to come to Christmas.”

Liam nods and rubs Harry’s back. “I know, babe. I was there.”

“She wants me to come live with her after I turn eighteen.”

Liam nods again. “I remember.”

Harry blinks over at Liam, eyes wet. “I wanna go so, so bad.”

Liam runs his fingers through Harry’s curls soothingly. “Then why do you sound so upset with the idea?”

“I’m not… upset, per se.” Harry says, shaking his head, pressing his face against Jumanji’s neck. “I’m worried, I think. Worried about what’ll happen. What’ll happen with my mum, with my dad, with you.”

Liam scratches his nails at Harry’s scalp and smiles when he sighs happily and melts into Jumanji’s body. “You know you’re always welcome here, and now you know you’re welcome at your mum’s.”

“I like you.”

Liam smiles and brushes Harry’s curls behind his ear. “I know babe, and you know I like you too.”

“I don’t know what to do.”

“Do what you want to do.”

Harry brushes his fingers through Jumanji’s mane carefully. “I don’t know what I want to do. I want to go live with my mum, I want to stay with you, I want to go back to London, where everyone I’ve known is.”

“It’s your choice. It’s all up to you.”

Harry sighs. “I don’t want it to be up to me.”

“I know you don’t, but no one else is going to decide it for you. It’s not our right. I’ll want you to stay here, your mum will want you to come home, and your dad will drag you back to London. You’ve gotta make the choice for yourself.”

Harry sighs and pulls away from Jumanji. “I’m going to go take a nap.”

Liam gives him a sad smile, kisses his forehead and watches him leave the stables.

Once Harry’s long gone, Liam heads back into his cottage and decides to get into his work clothes and help his dad and Millie out while Harry sleeps, but he didn’t realise that, when Harry said he was going to take a nap, he meant in Liam’s bed.

“I thought you were going up to the house?”

Harry shrugs, and Liam starts pulling off his t-shirt, boots and jeans. “I like it better in here.”

Liam smiles softly and climbs in with him. “I was going to go help dad, but I’d rather stay here with you. Unless you want me to go?”

Harry shrugs, smiling cheekily. “I wouldn’t have gotten in your bed if I didn’t want you with me, silly.” He says, sliding on top of Liam, resting his cheek on Liam’s chest. Liam curls his arms around Harry’s back. Harry’s completely naked, and Liam rests one of his hands on his arse cheek, reaching the other out to Harry’s head, running his fingers through Harry’s hair. “Let’s go get some tequila, bring it back here.”

Liam chuckles. “You do like your tequila, don’t you?” He tells Harry. “But, we’ve both got to work early tomorrow, so we can’t get pissed. Next Sunday we’ll do it. Just you and me, or do you want the lads?”

“You and me. I don’t want them here while you fuck me.” Harry says, and Liam can hear his grin in his voice.

Liam chuckles. “Yeah, no, I don’t think they’d like that either.”

Harry presses an open mouthed kiss to Liam’s chest and breathes in deep, letting it out slow, relaxing against Liam.

It’s not long before he’s asleep and Liam’s following.

-*-*-

**Wednesday 10th of August, 2016**

Liam wakes to a knock on his door late at night and for a long moment, thinks he’s going crazy, and just curls closer around Harry before there’s another knock.

It’s his mum, and she looks absolutely frantic. “Diana’s gone into labour, and I went to wake Harry because he asked to help, but he’s… he’s gone. His bed is empty, and it’s cold. I checked the stables and I… I…”

Liam smiles sleepily and rubs at his eyes. “He’s alright… he’s asleep.”

“Why is he in your bed, Liam?” His mum doesn’t look angry, just… confused.

“Uh, because he couldn’t sleep?”

She rolls her eyes. “You’re a terrible liar. We’ll talk about it later, just wake him before Diana gives birth. She’s in the stables.”

Liam nods, and watches his mum leave before he walks over to Harry and shakes him awake. “Baby, wake up, the foal’s coming.”

“Hmm?” Harry groans, turning to face Liam, blinking his eyes open. “Whassat?”

“Diana’s giving birth.”

Harry smiles sleepily and his eyes fall closed; Liam has to shake him again so he’ll get up.

Liam gets them both dressed in his joggers, briefs, jumpers and shoes, then gets them out the door to the stables.

When they get there, Liam can just see the foal’s front feet and its nose and lower face. Millie’s next to Diana, soothing her and telling her how well she’s doing while the horse pushes and whines.

Harry goes still beside him when they reach Liam’s parents, eyes wide. “I can see the face.” He whispers.

“Shoulders are close, he’ll be out soon.” Millie tells them all, peaking around at the foal coming through the mare’s birth canal. “Good girl, doing so well, aren’t you?”

“Why’s her tail wrapped?” Harry asks Liam in a whisper, leaning against him while they watch closely.

“To keep the foal from getting dirty.” Liam’s mum tells him, giving him a kind smile before turning back to the scene in the stall.

“Shoulders are coming.” Millie finally announces. “There we go.”

Once the shoulders are cleared, the foal finally slides out, falling onto the hay and shaking its head while Diana breathes heavily.

“Good girl, there we go, good girl. Didn’t need any help this time, did you?" Millie gives Diana a good pat before standing up and making her way out of the stall. “Alright, everyone out, I’ll finish by myself.”

Harry pouts at Liam and Liam chuckles, patting his shoulder comfortingly. “Nothing interesting now, just a lot of cleaning and clearing the afterbirth.” Harry sighs and nods.

They head back to Liam’s cottage, and Harry just won’t stop talking about it all.

“Did you see it, it was so cute! I mean, it was in that weird liquid-y like cover, but its little nose, oh my god, I can’t believe I got to see that.” He gushes, jumping onto the bed and grinning brightly while Liam strips down to his briefs. “Can I have him? To like, look after? Like name and raise and train and shit?”

Liam reaches over and tugs the shoes from Harry’s feet, then climbs onto the bed and pulls Harry’s t-shirt up and over his head. “He’s promised to a neighbour, babe, but…”

“But?” Harry asks, tugging Liam’s joggers off of himself, following with Liam’s briefs. 

“We think Poppy might be pregnant, but we’re not sure, so when and if that happens, I’m sure mum will let you stake claim.”

Harry smiles brightly, shaking his hips purposely as he slides under the duvet. Liam laughs. “I want a horse. My own, not just one I’m being lent. I love Ju, he’s brilliant, but I want my own.”

Liam laughs again and slides into the bed next to Harry. “If you want a horse, you’ll have to stay with it, you know?”

Harry nods. “Yeah, I know. I’ll… there’ll be stables near my mum’s house, maybe?”

Liam feels his smile fall a little. “Yeah, maybe.”

“Or,” Harry begins, climbing on top of Liam. Liam stares up at him, blinking in the dark. “It could stay here and I’ll get my license and come every day. It’s barely an hour’s drive.”

Liam smiles and curls his arms around Harry’s waist. “I like that idea.”

Harry presses his face into the crook of Liam’s neck, smiling against his skin. “If it’s a girl, I’ll name it Eurydice. For a boy… maybe Orpheus.”

Liam frowns. “Who?”

Harry chuckles. “You’re so thick, it’s so cute. Eurydice was a nymph in Greek mythology, she was married to Orpheus who was a musician. I think they were half siblings, too.”

“Ew.”

Harry nods. “Agreed.”

“Why Orpheus or Eu-eurid-“

“Eurydice?” Liam nods. “Well, I quite like Greek mythology, and their story - Orpheus and Eurydice’s story – is one of my favourites.”

“What’s their story?”

Harry smiles and brings himself up on his forearms. “Shall I tell it like a story, or just the facts?”

Liam smiles and rests his hands under his head. “A story.”

Harry takes a breath and swallows. “A long time ago in a place called Greece, there lived a musician named Orpheus and his wife, Eurydice. They loved each other endlessly, they were so happy, but one day, a god named Aristaeus saw Eurydice and began to pursue her through a field. Unable to escape, Eurydice fell, landing on a viper, who bit her. After her death, her distraught husband, Orpheus, sang so mournfully that the gods told him how to retrieve her; he needed to travel to the underworld and beseech its god, Hades, and his wife Persephone, to allow him to take his wife back to the world of the living. His sweet song softened the hearts of the god and his wife, and the Erinyes, and they gave him permission, with the condition that, on the way back to the world of the living, Eurydice walk behind him, and he did not look back. Orpheus began to doubt Hades, and believed the god had deceived, so, just as he reached the portals of Hades, and glimpsed the sunlight, he turned around to gaze upon her face. Because Eurydice had not yet stepped across the threshold, she vanished back into the underworld. The end.” 

Liam frowns. “It’s sad.”

Harry chuckles. “It is a bit, isn’t it? When Orpheus died, he was reunited with her in the Elysian Fields, but he never saw her in the mortal world again.” Harry lays back down on Liam’s chest, a hand under his chin. “It’s sad, but Orpheus loved Eurydice enough to follow her into the underworld, and that’s what I like to think about.”

Liam smiles. “You’re a sap, that’s what you are.”

Harry snorts and shrugs. “Maybe.”

Liam curls his arms around Harry’s waist and kisses him, before letting himself fall back down onto the pillow, closing his eyes.

“Night.” Harry mumbles against Liam’s chest.

“Good night, Harry.”

-*-*-

**Sunday 14th of August, 2016**

Liam’s trying to pull a condom on when a knock sounds at his door. It’s mid-afternoon, and Harry’s lying on the bed, panting, hand around his cock, and Liam just wants to ignore the damn door and get back to him.

“Fuck’s sake.” Harry mutters, digging the fingers of his free hand into Liam’s thigh so hard it hurts. “Ignore it, ignore it, get in me.”

Liam does. He rolls the condom onto his cock and spreads Harry’s thighs, taking a hold of his dick and pressing the head to Harry’s hole.

The next knocks are harder and louder. “Oi, open up ye cunt!”

It’s Niall. “Crap, what’s he doing here?”

Harry groans and drops his legs around Liam before Liam climbs off the bed and searches for a pair of joggers. He pulls the duvet up over Harry and presses a quick kiss to his mouth then answers the door.

He only opens the door a smidge and give Niall right scowl. Zayn, Louis and Bressie are with him, and they’ve all got smirks on their faces like they knew exactly what Liam was doing before he answered the door. “What?”

Niall gives Liam a bright smile. “Get dressed, we’re getting pissed.”

Liam sighs. “You could have sent me a text, told me you wanted me at the pub.”

“First, we’re drinking ‘ere, second, I’ve been texting ye since eight and ye haven’t answered.”

“Do we really have to drink here? Can’t you like, piss off? I haven’t answered for a reason.”

“Yeah, ye’ve been shagging some lass.”

Liam frowns. He thought Niall would’ve guessed by now; he and Harry fucked in Niall’s spare bedroom. “Not quite.”

Niall pushes past Liam before he can stop him and opens the door, staring at Harry in surprise for a long time. Harry waves nervously. “Well, that’s new. Not the point, not the point. Ye’re both getting dressed and we’re getting pissed. We’ve just driven a half hour, so you can’t argue.”

Liam sighs and runs a hand down his face. “Fuck, fine, fine, just… wait for a bit, for us to get dressed.” Niall nods, but he doesn’t move. “Outside, you dick.”

Niall salutes him and they all leave. Liam shuts the door and climbs back onto the bed, on top of Harry. “I figure we’ve got about ten minutes before they decide to come back, looking for us. Think you could come before then?”

Harry giggles. “I could certainly try. Still hard as fuck.”

Liam gets off the bed to drop his joggers and pull the duvet down. Harry certainly is still hard, and Liam climbs between his thighs. The condom’s still on his cock.

He pushes inside Harry, and the younger man whimpers, spreading his thighs wide and reaching over to dig his fingernails into Liam’s hips.

“Yeah, fuck, like that.”

Liam fucks Harry hard and fast, pushing up against his prostate so he’ll come quick, jerking Harry’s cock in time with his thrusts.

“Fuck, c’mon. Liam, please.”

Liam grunts Harry’s name into his neck, snapping his hips until Harry finally comes, back arching, crying out into the ceiling.

Liam comes only a few thrusts more, moaning his pleasure into Harry’s mouth.

They get dressed quick and find the others waiting for them out by Bressie’s truck.

“Where are we drinking?”

Louis snorts. “Certainly not your place. It probably smells like sex in there.”

Harry blushes a deep red.

“The pond. We can make a bonfire. Haven’t done that since we were in high school.” Zayn suggests, smiling lazily. Liam thinks he’s started the party early.

Liam nods his agreement. “Alright. You got the drinks?”

Niall gives him a thumbs up. “Snacks, too. Just need some blankets and pillows and shit.”

Liam leaves Harry with the others while he gets blankets and pillows from the main house (though he knows they’ll rib him and pump him for information).

They drive Bressie’s truck up to the pond, and set up a nest of blankets and pillows in a semi-circle about twenty feet away from the water’s edge, then collect wood and brush for a fire five feet from the edge of the blankets. There’s vodka, tequila, mixers and beer in a cooler, and Bressie puts the truck’s radio on while they drink and Zayn passes around a joint.

Harry sits between Liam’s thighs, because they know now, and carries on a very odd conversation with Louis about a band called The Stone Roses, and who wanted to fuck Michael Hutchence more.

“Hey!” Liam cries at the last one.

Harry laughs and pats Liam’s knee. “He’s dead, Liam, not that it was ever going to happen anyway.”

Liam gets comfortably drunk, but refuses the joint, and mostly lies back on the blanket and enjoys the night while Louis, Niall and Harry chat loudly. 

It’s when Niall calls his name that he’s drawn out of his lull. “Payno, what are we doing for your birthday, then?”

Harry turns and looks down at him. He’s still in between Liam’s thighs, and he’s got a bottle in one hand and a cigarette in the other. “When’s your birthday?”

“Twenty-ninth.”

Liam sees the cogs turn in Harry’s brain as he counts. “That’s fifteen days away, I haven’t gotten you a present!”

Liam chuckles and shakes his head. “No need, don’t want anything.”

“S’not the point, stupid!” Harry tells him, slapping Liam’s hip. The cigarette between his fingers has burnt down to the filter, and he cries out and throws it into the fire when it burns his skin. “I want to get you a present.”

“Maybe a vibrator.” Niall suggests unhelpfully, laughing.

Liam reaches over and punches his shoulder before he’s suddenly squished under Harry.

“What do you want, c’mon, everyone loves presents.”

Liam shakes his head, and ignores his cock’s twitch of interest as Harry fidgets on top of him. “I don’t want anything. Seriously.”

Harry pouts. “I’m still going to get you something.” He announces, pressing a sloppy kiss to the side of Liam’s mouth before he sits back up, between Liam’s legs again.

Liam rolls his eyes and puts his arms under his head, staring up at the sky.

-*-*-

**Tuesday 16th of August, 2016**

Liam’s mum calls him into the kitchen before dinner, and he gets the sinking feeling she’s remembered to talk to him about finding Harry in his bed the Wednesday before.

“Come here and give me a hand, darling.” She says, pulling the roast from the oven and putting it onto the counter. “Need you to slice it for me.”

She checks the vegetables while he gets out the carving knife and lofts the ham onto a chopping board.

“We’ve not talked about you and Harry, yet.”

Liam’s heart sinks and he looks over at her. “No?”

“No.” She replies definitively. “Look, you’re an adult, twenty two in two weeks, and while Harry may often act like an adult, he’s still only seventeen. You can make your own decisions, and so can he, but just remember he is still, technically, a child.”

Liam feels a bit frozen for a moment. “It is legal, right?”

She laughs and shakes her head. “So responsible, you are. It is, hun, you have no need, whatsoever, to worry, I just want you to be careful with him… feeling, I suppose; be careful with his feelings, and your own. And for god’s sake, always wear a condom.”

Liam groans and covers his ears. “I can’t hear, I don’t want to hear it.”

She laughs, big and loud, and goes back to the vegetables.

Liam cuts the ham, and they continue in silence until the kitchen begins to fill, first with Millie and Gracie, and lastly with Harry, who’s still wet from his shower, and smells strongly of Liam’s apple soap.

He sits between Harry and Gracie at the table, and they chat as they eat, mostly about Liam’s upcoming birthday.

“I thought I’d make you your favourite for dinner, and then you can go out with your mates.” His mum says, nodding her head. “Dad said he’s happy for you to take the next day off if you pick up the slack on Sunday.”

Liam nods and gives her a smile. “Sounds good.”

“You’re allowed to go, also, Harry, if you wish. Same rules apply.”

“Thank you.”

The top moves onto Christmas, and the possibility of Harry spending it with his mother.

“She’d like me to, yeah.”

“And your father?” Liam’s dad asks. “Have you spoken to him about it, yet?”

Harry shakes his head. “I was kind of… well, I was hoping you’d, perhaps, tell my father I’m staying here? He won’t let me go if he knows; not in a million years.”

Liam’s father is silent for a long time, though he looks at Liam’s mother, and they seem to have a conversation with their eyes.

“Of course, Harry dear.” His mum says, nodding her head. “Of course.”

Harry smiles gratefully. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.”

As they finish their dinner, the topic continues to jump.

After dinner, everyone disperses, besides Harry and Liam’s, so they can do the dishes. Liam washes, and Harry dries.

“Your mum came up to me before and literally just said, with the straightest face _’never forget to use a condom’_. It was weird as fuck.” Harry says as he puts a pile of plates in the cupboard.

Liam chuckles. “She told me the same thing.”

“So she knows?” Liam nods. “And she’s cool with it?” Liam nods again.

“For a second she had me thinking we were doing something illegal.”

Harry blinks over at Liam, eyebrow raised. “Why on earth?”

Liam raises his own eyebrow. “You’re seventeen, kid. Not an adult, yet.”

Harry shrugs. “Whatever, really.”

Liam rolls his eyes and reaches over to take Harry’s chin in his fingers, pulling forward to kiss him. “It’s easy to forget you’re seventeen. Not like any I’ve ever met.”

Harry curls his arm around Liam’s waist and kisses him harder, licking into his mouth.

When they pull away from each other, Liam runs his finger over Harry’s bottom lip and says, “When we finish this, I’m going to fuck you.”

Harry’s lips twitch up into a smile, and he pulls away, going back to his drying.

They work in silence, and once they’re done, the kitchen’s clean and the dishes are away, they slip out the back door and head back to Liam’s cottage.

-*-*-

**Thursday the 18th of August, 2016**

“What’s up today?” Harry asks when he finally reaches Liam and the barn, peaking in past Liam.

“We’re moving hay into the barn.” Liam tells him, nodding to the truck around the other side of the barn where a truck filled high with hay is backing up.

Liam’s climbing up onto the back of the truck when his mum appears out of nowhere, face frantic.

“Liam, babe, you need to make yourself scarce, take Poppy for a walk, Harry’s dad’s here.”

“What?” Harry cries, blinking around, like his dad while suddenly appear out of nowhere and drag him away. “Why?”

“He called last week and George answered. He… well, he hinted that you were talking to your mother again. Don’t blame him, he didn’t know it was a secret, he’s really upset with himself.”

The look Harry gives Liam is so desperate that Liam presses a quick kiss to his mouth before he’s running for the stables.

“I’m fucked, I’m so fucked. Why can’t Liam come with me?” He hears before he’s turning into the stables. Liam knows why. Harry’s dad’s already pissed about him seeing his mother, he doesn’t need another thing against him right now.

He doesn’t even bother saddling Poppy, he’s ridden her bareback before, just puts the bit in her mouth and hops up onto her back, ducking his head when he races out of the stables and out towards the pond. He’ll stay there until someone comes to find him. Harry’ll know where he is.

He takes the bit from Poppy’s mouth and strips down to his pants to coax her into the water with him. It’ll be a bitch drying here off, Poppy likes it in the water, and she’s always silly, it’ll keep his mind off of what could be happening back at the farm.

When Harry finally appears, almost an hour later, Poppy’s still in the water, but Liam’s on the bank, dressed, pinking sprouts out of the dirt with his fingers.

“Hey.” Harry says, quietly, falling down next to Liam, chewing at his thumbnail, shoulders tense.

“Hey. What happened?”

Harry shrugs and then sighs, letting his arm fall down into his lap to pick at a loose thread in his jeans. He takes a big, deep breath before he says, “He’s sending all my stuff to my mum’s.”

“I… I don’t quite understand?”

“He’s given up, he says. Can’t stand me. Says my mum can have me.” He gives Liam a bright smile, but its hiding hurt that Liam can see so clearly.

“He’s an arsehole. Your mum’ll love to have you.”

Harry lets out something close to a relieved smile, like he knows Liam’s trying to make him feel better about his dad making him feel like shit, and he’s thankful. He lays his head on Liam’s shoulder and scratches his nail over the knee of Liam’s jeans. “I told my mum what he said. She said I can go there now.”

Liam bites his lip. He hopes Harry’s said he wants to stay, but he knows he can’t have. “What did you say?”

Harry pats Liam’s knee. “I told her I’ll come down at Christmas.”

Liam lets out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding and pats Harry’s hand on his knee before curling his arm around Harry’s back.

“Poppy looks like she’s having fun.” Harry says after a while’s silence, nodding his head towards the horse in the pond, dunking her head into the water and splashing it up, whinnying like she’s laughing.

Liam uncurls from Harry and stands up, holding his hands out to Harry. “C’mon, we deserve a little fun, too.”

Harry laughs as he takes Liam’s hands, and they strip as they make their way to the pond, meeting Poppy, who’s very happy to have some playmates.

-*-*-

**Sunday 21st of August, 2016**

Liam’s certainly been woken up in a worse way, he thinks, when he blinks his eyes open to find Harry on top of him, around his cock.

“Jesus, Harry.” He groans, flinging an arm over his eyes as Harry raises himself up and slides back down, squeezing around Liam’s cock with a moan.

“Morning.” He says, voice tight, laying down onto Liam’s chest so he can kiss him, licking into his mouth, and Liam can get his knees up to fuck his hips up against Harry. “Fuck, Liam, _please_.”

Liam curls an arm around Harry’s hips, pressing his hand against Harry’s cheek and squeezing it, getting the fingers of his free hand in Harry’s hair and tugging. “You’re brilliant, babe, absolutely amazing.”

Harry’s cheeks flush prettily and he smiles softly, pressing another kiss to Liam’s mouth, whimpering when Liam fucks up into him. 

“Liam, please, I wanna come.”

Liam tucks his knees up further and fucks into Harry harder, faster, kissing him with a ferocity that surprises himself.

Liam comes first, spilling up inside Harry, but he doesn’t follow too far behind, spurting between them, hole squeezing and milking the last of Liam’s orgasm. Harry falls beside Liam and reaches over for the tissues on the bedside table, cleaning off his belly, and then Liam’s, and then reaches back to wipe over his arse.

“I forgot a condom.” He says sheepishly.

Liam chuckles and shrugs his shoulders. “All good, baby. Come here, give me cuddles.”

Harry throws the tissues onto the floor and collapses on top of Liam, pressing a kiss to his peck, just above his nipple. 

“What time are we leaving for your mum’s?”

Harry shrugs and yawns. “When I can move again. After a shower. And breakfast. Or lunch.”

Liam chuckles and pats Harry’s back, reaching down for the blanket, pulling it up over them. “How are you feeling?”

“Well, my arse hurts, but that’s pretty normal.”

Liam rolls his eyes. “That’s not what I meant. We haven’t really talked about the whole thing with your dad.”

Harry falls onto the bed next to Liam and groans, flinging an arm over his eyes. “You’ve asked me how I’ve felt every ten minutes for the past three days. I’m fine, I swear.”

Liam rolls onto his side and props his head up with his hand. “I’m worried about you. I’m allowed to be worried about you, aren’t I?”

“No, not really.” Harry snorts.

Liam rolls his eyes and falls onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. “You’re impossible. I care about you, so I worry about you. I’m allowed.”

Harry scrubs his hands over his face. “I care about you, too.” He sighs and curls around Liam’s side, pressing his face into Liam’s shoulder. Liam presses his arm around Harry’s back and pulls him closer.

-*-*-

**Monday 29th of August, 2016**

Liam wakes to warm heat around his cock, and fuck if it doesn’t feel ridiculously good.

Harry’s between his legs, hand around the base of Liam’s dick, mouth around the tip, and he blinks up at Liam when Liam leans up to look down at him. He falls back onto the bed and reaches down to curl his fingers in Harry’s hair, tugging and groaning when Harry licks at the tip.

“Jesus, Harry, your mouth.”

Harry swallows hard around the head and squeezes his hand around the base, drawing another groan from Liam’s mouth. 

Liam rolls his hips and tugs at Harry’s hair, flinging his free arm over his eyes, biting his lip when Harry moans around his cock. 

“Harry, baby. _Fuck_.”

Harry suck Liam off until he comes, shooting into Harry’s mouth and groaning into his arm.

Harry climbs his way up Liam’s body and wipes at his mouth, grinning at Liam. “Happy birthday.”

“Christ.” Liam groans, letting his arm fall down from his face, blink at Harry. “You’re gonna fucking kill me.”

Harry grins brighter. “You’ll die happy, at least.”

Liam chuckles as Harry presses a kiss to his mouth. “That’s for sure.”

“We have to get up.” Harry groans into Liam’s shoulder, shaking his head. “What father would make his son work on his birthday?”

Liam laughs. “Geoff Payne, that’s who.”

“Horrid, horrid man.” Harry says, shaking his head solemnly before his mouth lifts up into a grin, patting Liam’s chest and pushing himself up to sit. “C’mon, sucking dick makes me hungry.”

Liam chuckles, and takes the hand Harry holds out for him, sitting up. “I swear, the things that come out of your mouth.”

Harry grins and shrugs.

They take a quick shower together, then get dressed, before heading over to the house for breakfast. Liam’s mum has made pancakes, and there’s a whole stack of them on the kitchen table waiting, and no one else around. 

After scoffing down enough pancakes to make them sick, they head out to the barn, where Liam’s dad and Millie are, carrying the hay from the load on Thursday up into the hangar. They both call out a happy birthday to Liam before Geoff instructs Liam and Harry to start helping.

The day is busy, and Liam finds he doesn’t quite mind that he’s working on his birthday. He and Harry take a ride after lunch, and then, after clearing one of the paddocks of debris, Harry disappears up to the house while Liam and George pack away the pitchforks and wheelbarrows they’d used.

Liam wonders vaguely where Harry is while he takes a shower, washing the dirt from the day from his body and getting in a quick wank. He dresses and makes his way up to the house, and into the kitchen where both his mum and Harry are, arguing half-heartedly over how to ice a cake. His mum is very much on the spreading side, while Harry seems to like to pipe.

“Liam, there you are.” His mum says, dropping a pair of tongs to give Liam a cuddle. “Happy birthday, love.”

“Thanks, mum.” Liam says, smiling, hugging back. She lets go, and Liam catches Harry’s fond smile. “Hi.”

Harry’s smile turns soft. “Hey.”

“Where’ve you been?”

“Making your cake.” Harry nods his head towards the chocolate cake on the cooling rack. “It’s chocolate fudge. Karen said it was your favourite.”

Liam smiles, and in the corner of his eyes he sees his mum roll her eyes fondly as he leans in to press a kiss to Harry’s mouth. “It is, thank you.”

Harry smiles happily. “You’re welcome.”

Liam’s mum interrupts them by poking Liam in the shoulder with her tongs. “There’s a surprise in the lounge room waiting for you, go on.”

Harry smiles cheekily and pats Liam’s bum as he passes him, heading out into the lounge room.

On the couch, watching television and arguing over a bowl of lollies, are Liam’s sisters, Nicola and Ruth. A grin spreads over Liam’s face, and before they catch sight of him, he’s jumping onto the couch, and their laps.

“Hello, ladies.”

They laugh, and Nicola slaps his arm. “You’re such a weirdo.”

“Happy birthday you little jerk.” Ruth says, ruffling his hair.

“That’s not very nice.” Liam tells her, giving her a very faux disappointed look before both his sisters are pushing him off of their legs and onto the floor with a thud. “Oi! It’s my _birthday_ , you’re supposed to be _nice_ to me. That wasn’t particularly nice, was it?” 

He rolls onto his back and fits his hands under his head, staring up at the ceiling until their faces appear in his line of vision, side by side.

“Are you just going to stay there?” Nicola asks, raising a perfectly manicured eyebrow.

Liam shrugs then nods. “Yeah, I’ll stay here, I think.” He pulls faces at them for a while until he says, “Are you two coming out tonight?”

“Where to?” Nicola asks, while Ruth says, “Who with?”

“Lloyd’s with the guys.”

They both make noises of complaint and Liam just laughs and rolls his eyes. “Yeah, alright, fine, you don’t love me, all cool.”

They both reach down to tickle him and he cries out uncle after bouts of laughter.

“That Harry lad’s very good looking.” Nicola says when Liam’s finally on the couch between them. Ruth hums her agreement. “How old is he?”

“Seventeen.” Liam replies, taking a handful of jelly snakes and babies from the bowl in Ruth’s lap.

“Too young.” Ruth sighs wistfully.

“Too gay.” Liam replies, lifting his feet up onto the coffee table.

“Dear. How boring.” Nicola says, swinging her legs up onto Liam’s own. He groans, and rolls his eyes, but allows it. “Got a girlfriend yet, little brother?”

Liam shakes his head. “Nah. Got a lad, though.”

“Cool.” Ruth says, totally unaffected.

Nicola, on the other hand, seems to have picked up the underlying truth. “You’re plugging a seventeen year old?”

“What?” Ruth asks, jelly snake hanging out of her mouth.

Liam frowns at Nicola in disbelief. “How did your brain even come to that conclusion?” Nicola raises an eyebrow, as if to say, _’well?’_ “I mean, yeah, I guess.”

“He’s five years younger than you!”

“Four.” Liam says, chewing on his bottom lip. Nicola doesn’t seem angry or horrified. More astonished.

“Not the point, Liam.” She says, shaking her head. “How did this even come about? You’ve never once told us you thought about boys before, and you tell us everything.”

Liam shrugs. “It’s not really that big of a deal, and I never really did think about boys before Harry.”

Nicola’s silent as she takes it in, nodding. Finally, she turns to Ruth and says, “We’ll have to talk to the young lad about being good to Liam.”

Ruth shrugs, chewing on a jelly snake.  
“You’re useless, that’s what you are.” Nicola tells Ruth jokingly, shaking her head with a chuckle.

Ruth just shrugs her shoulders again while Liam and Nicola laugh.

“He’s made me a cake.”

“Has he?” Nicola says, smiling and chewing on the head of a jelly baby.

“It’s chocolate fudge.” Liam tells her, nodding his head and shoving his hand into the bowl of lollies, taking a handful. “He’s terribly lovely.”

“How long have you been together?” Ruth asks, lifting her legs onto the coffee table next to Liam’s.

“Only about a month.” Liam replies as Harry appears from the kitchen.

“Dinner’s up.”

Liam’s up first, kicking his sisters legs from his own. “Can I see the cake?”

Harry grins. “No.”

“No?” Liam repeats.

“No.” Harry replies definitively.

Liam pouts, and follows him into the kitchen. Liam’s parents, Millie, Gracie and George are waiting, and they all greet Liam with _happy birthday’_ s though they’ve all already said it today.

Dinner is a raucous affair, and Liam enjoys it thoroughly. By the time Harry’s getting the cake out of the fridge, Liam’s full as fuck, but he wants to taste what Harry’s made, so he sucks it up. They sing happy birthday to him, and he blows out his candles, then Harry cuts the cake. It’s kind of gooey in the middle, and it tastes fucking brilliant. Liam presses a kiss to the corner of Harry’s mouth as a thank you.

The dishes are barely done (Liam insists) when the lads finally arrive, yelling the house down. Liam and Harry are both surrounded in a group bear hug and they all laugh uproariously before Niall’s pulling away and asking Liam’s mum if he can have some cake.

They all fit into Bressie’s truck and start down the highway towards the town.

-*-*-

**Tuesday 30th of August, 2016**

Liam wakes to a splitting headache, a body over his chest and a bacon sandwich being shoved in his face.

“Wakey-wakey.” Harry says, putting the corner of the sandwich in Liam's mouth.

“Ugh, Harry, go away.”

“C’mon, Liam, baby, Bressie made bacon sandwiches.”

Liam shakes his head and burrows deeper into the covers, pressing his face into the pillow. “Go away, I’m sleeping.”

“C’mon, bacon. Bacon’s great. I’ll give you a blowjob if you get up.”

Liam groans again. It sounds very nice, it really does, but the bed feels even better.

Harry sighs and the sandwich moves away from Liam’s mouth, and Harry’s lying on his side next to Liam. “You drank a lot last night.”

“I didn’t do anything stupid, did I?”

Liam blinks his eyes open, then squints at Harry through the darkness. Harry shrugs. “Not really. I mean, you danced on a table, wore the birthday tiara of some girl, kissed your ex-girlfriend, almost cracked your skull on the edge of a table-”

“Hold on, what did I do?”

“Fell down and almost cracked your skull.”

Liam frowns. “That’s not what a meant, Harry and you know it.”

Harry bites his bottom lip and shrugs. “I mean, you kissed your ex-girlfriend, whatever.”

Liam’s frown deepens. “Don’t _whatever_ me.”

Harry shrugs again. “You can snog whoever the fuck you want to, Liam, I’m not your bloody girlfriend.”

Liam rolls his eyes. “But you are my boyfriend, aren’t you. So if I kiss ex-girlfriends while I’m drunk, you have the right to punch me in the face.”

“We’re just shagging, aren’t we.” Harry says, sitting up and running his fingers through his hair. He’s insecure and tense, shoulders taut and hands clenched, and Liam doesn’t know how to fix it. “It’s not like you’re actually into guys, you can do whatever the fuck you want.”

Liam rolls his eyes again. “You’re ridiculous, you do know that, right? Just because I’m not into guys, doesn’t mean I’m not into you.”

Harry shrugs.

Liam sighs and reaches up to pull Harry down on top of him, holding him tight while he wriggles so he can’t get away. “You’re beyond ridiculous. I kissed my ex-girlfriend, you’re supposed to yell and scream and curse at me and tell me I’m an arsehole, not accept it.” Harry doesn’t speak. “C’mon, scream at me, tell me I’m a jerk, that I don’t deserve you, because I don’t.”

Harry’s face softens a little. “You do. I am angry with you, but you do deserve me.” 

Liam presses kisses all over Harry’s face until he’s giggling and a lot less tense. 

“Okay, alright, fine.” Harry grins, eyes crinkling at the corners. “If you’re going to be my boyfriend or whatever, no kissing other people.”

“You got it, baby.”

Harry reaches over for the bacon sandwich and shoves at Liam’s mouth. “Bacon.”

Liam rolls his eyes and takes a bite. It does taste pretty good.

After finishing half of the sandwich (Harry takes the other half), Liam rolls them over so he’s got Harry on his back and kisses the taste of bacon from his mouth.

When they get back to the cottage mid-afternoon after breakfast, there’s a box waiting on the doorstep with holes poked in the top, making soft little barking noises.

Harry laughs and rubs his forehead. “Uh, happy birthday?” He says as Liam picks up the box. “Your mum was going to put him on the bed, but I think she couldn’t get in.”

Harry takes the keys and unlocks the door, letting Liam in first. He sets the box down on the bed and pulls open the flaps. There, nestled in a fluffy blanket with a bloody bow tied to its neck is a tiny puppy with a multi-coloured coat.

“I told you not to get me anything.” Liam says, but he’s cooing at the thing and lifting it up into his arms. It’s so soft and fluffy and it’s absolutely gorgeous.

“Your mum told me you had a dog a couple of years ago, but it died. I mean, he’s not a replacement, but still, he’s cute as fuck.”

Liam pulls Harry in for a cuddle and kisses the top of his head. “He’s wonderful, I love him.”

Harry grins so bright his eyes crinkle in the corners, pressing a soft kiss to Liam’s mouth. “I’m glad. What are you going to call him?”

Liam bites his lip and blinks over at Harry. He has the perfect name. “Orpheus.”

Harry smiles bright, pressing his face into Liam’s neck. “I think that’s perfect.”

-*-*-

**Sunday 4th of September, 2016**

Harry insisted on bringing Orpheus to his mum’s the next Sunday, and Liam’s regretting agreeing now that his back seat smells like piss.

“I’m sorry, Liam, he’s just nervous. I promise I’ll clean it up when we get home.” Harry seems to have realised what he’s said the minute the words leave his mouth, and giggles. “Home.”  
Liam rolls his eyes. “Home is where the heart is and all that crap.”

Harry giggles harder, and Orpheus yips in the back seat. “You’re absolutely ridiculous, how even the fuck are you real?”

Liam gives him a great big smile and pulls into his mum’s driveway. There’s another car in the driveway he doesn’t recognise from his visits with Harry, and he knows whose it is, whilst Harry doesn’t.

The cheesecake Harry made is still okay, though it spend the hour long drive in the windscreen facing the sun. Liam presses a kiss to Harry’s cheek then gets out of the truck to get Orpheus while Harry takes the cake.

The front door’s open when they get to it, and a called conversation between Harry and his mum lets them know they can come in.

Anne’s in the kitchen when they reach it, and she offers them wine while cooing at Orpheus. 

“Mum, who’s here?” A voice calls before, suddenly, there’s a girl standing in the doorway, who looks remarkably like a mixture between Harry and Anne, and who must be Gemma. She looks at Liam first, and then at Harry before her face lights up and she’s pulling her brother into her arms. “Jesus fuck, look at you! Just a cute little shit.”

Harry blushes and Anne rolls her eyes. “Don’t be so mean to him.”

“I’m not being mean!” Gemma says, letting go of Harry to press a kiss to his forehead. “It’s good to see you, lad. Very good.”

Harry smiles fondly.

“And who’s this?” Gemma asks, nodding towards Liam.

Liam holds his hand out and introduces himself. 

“He works at the farm Des put Harry in in June.” Anne says, nodding her head, offering Harry and Liam their glasses of wine.

“You’re a farmer? Well.” Gemma says, giving Liam a very obvious one over. He feels a little embarrassed until she speaks again. “You two coming out back? You can meet my boyfriend.”

They eat lunch on the back porch, Liam and Harry on one side of the table, Gemma and her boyfriend, Mark on the other, Anne and Robin on either end. It’s nice out, almost spring-like, though it’s come into autumn, warm with a slight breeze. Orpheus sits, sleeping on Harry’s lap, and Liam reaches over to pat him every once and a while as they all chat easily. Anne invites them over again for next Sunday, and they oblige, though they let her know that they could quite possibly be hungover, and she laughs.

-*-*-

**Saturday 10th of September, 2016**

Harry is very, _very_ pissed, and it’s hilarious, especially when he decides it’s a great idea to jump onto the table to dance to _Shoop_.

Liam’s watching him in fond amusement, sitting in the booth behind the table with the others around him, laughing.

“Harry, c’mon, you’ll fall off!” Bressie says with a laugh, shaking his head.

Harry’s laughing so loud and so bright, that Liam feels just as happy as he looks.

When Harry slips, he’s trying to shake his arse in front of Liam’s face. He goes off the table and falls onto the floor with a sickening crack.

“Harry!” They all cry, sliding out of the booth to crouch down around him.

“I’m fine!” He says after a moment, shaking his hands and getting up. Liam squeezes past them all to get to him, kneeling in front of him and checking him over. “I’m fine, baby.”

“I heard something crack.” Liam says, lifting his hands and staring at them. In the low light, the right one doesn’t quite look like the left one. “C’mon, we’ll go see Doctor Olivier.”

“Liam!” Harry whines, head lolling on his shoulders. “I’m _fine_. I promise. Swear it.”

Liam shakes his head, and when he looks back at Bressie, he acknowledges the question and nods his agreement. “Alright, up we get.”

He pulls Harry up and circles his arm around Harry’s waist, carrying out the pub’s door.

The doctor, George Olivier, he lives inside town in the same place he works, and it’s only a few blocks away from the pub. The lights are on, it’s not particularly late, but the actual practice is closed.

Liam sits Harry on the doorstep and knocks on the door; listens to the television go quiet and then sees George’s shadow appear in the window.

“Liam?”

“Hi, sir, my uh, my friend, Harry, he took a bit of a tumble. I heard something crack, just wondering if you could maybe check him out?”

George covers a yawn with his hand and checks his watch, nodding his head. “Alright, c’mon in.”

Liam pulls Harry up again and takes him inside the house, into George’s exam room and lifting him up onto the table.

“Now, what have you done to yourself, lad?” George asks as he washes his hands and dries them.

“I was dancing on the table and I fell off, but I’m fine. Liam’s just a worry wort.”

George chuckles and nods, rolling his chair towards Harry and taking a seat. “Sounds like you had fun. How much did you have to drink?”

Harry shrugs, so George looks to Liam. “Uh, I dunno, maybe four or five beers and a half dozen shots?”

“Ooh, and that mojito, don’t forget about that!” Harry says.

“Well, that is quite a lot, isn’t.” George finds his pen light and shines it in Harry’s eyes, checking his pupil response. “Normal intoxication response, doesn’t seem to be a concussion.”

“I heard a crack.” Liam tells him. “He managed to walk here, so I don’t think it was his legs.”

George nods again and takes both of Harry’s wrists, holding them up. “Do any of your limbs feels harder to move than normal?”

Harry shrugs, and after a long moment of thought, he nods and lifts his right hand. Liam notices that he lifts with his elbow, not with his wrist; it looks almost limp. “Feels a bit weird.”

The doctor takes Harry’s arm and pokes at his wrist and hand for a long time before he finally decides. “It’s swelling up, so something’s definitely going on in your wrist, but you won’t know for sure what until you have an x-ray done, and unfortunately, I don’t have the capabilities.”

“It’s fine, I swear.” Harry says, shaking his head.

George chuckles and shakes his head. “Don’t be silly. Let Liam take you to Taper.”

Harry groans and rolls his eyes. “Do I really have to?”

Liam chuckles at him and nods. “Yes, now c’mon. Say thank you to Doctor Olivier.”

Harry mumbles thank you and Liam drags him back out towards the pub to get their things and get into the truck.

It’s not a long drive to Taper, less than a half hour, and the streets are almost completely clear. The Tapor hospital is tiny, but it’s a hospital nonetheless, and it’s got an x-ray machine, which is exactly what they need.

He explains the situation to the nurse at the front desk, signs Harry in as best he can with the information he has and what Harry can give him while drunk and then sits him down while they wait for a nurse.

The x-ray shows it’s only a fracture, but Harry’s not allowed to use it for a few weeks until it’s all healed up. They strap it and send them home with the instruction not to drink anymore tonight. 

“I told you I was fine.” Harry says, poking his tongue out at Liam as they head out to the truck.

“Your wrist is fractured, that’s not fine.” Liam chuckles, rolling his eyes at Harry.

Harry pouts. “I’m fine. I’m fine as fuck.” He gives Liam a lewd smile.

Liam laughs. “You’re funny. C’mon, get in the car, let’s go home, babe. You get to tell my dad you fractured your wrist dancing on a table.”

Harry grins and shrugs.

-*-*-

_Sunday 11th of September, 2016_

Everyone has a good laugh at Harry’s wrist at breakfast the next morning with Liam’s family, and lunch with Harry’s; it becomes a running joke by the end of the day. 

Harry and Liam are in Liam’s cottage, and Harry’s trying desperately to open a tin can of dog food for Orpheus, while Liam just laughs.

“I can’t… Jesus Christ, stop laughing and start helping, will you?”

Liam shrugs and laughs again, languidly standing up and taking the can from Harry, pulling the handle on the top up and tugging the lid off. He hands the can back to Harry, who smiles gratefully at him and starts spooning the food into the dog bowl. Once he’s done he puts it on the ground next to the door and watches Orpheus go.

“You’re a prick. I’m handicapped.”

Liam laughs and rolls his eyes good-naturedly, watching Harry throw the can away and wash his hands before curling his arms around Harry’s waist and pulling him close. “You’re not handicapped, just a whinge bucket.”

Harry pokes his tongue out at Liam, and Liam pokes his own right back. “He’s your dog, you’re supposed to feed him.”

Liam presses a kiss to his mouth, vaguely noticing how he doesn’t have to lean down so much anymore, Harry’s getting taller. “Feel like a ride?” Harry grins lewdly and Liam laughs. “Not that kind of ride you silly bugger. Though, that is always on the table.”

Harry smiles. “Either is good. Both is good.”

Liam laughs again. “C’mon, you little bastard, let’s get dressed.”

Harry turns dressing into the opposite of stripping, moving his hips to a beat only he can hear, sliding the riding breeches up his thighs. Liam knows for sure Harry’s doing it to get a rise out of him, and he can’t help it, but it’s working, he’s not even half way dressed, sitting on the edge of the bed watching Harry with his cock chubbing up and twitching.

Harry gives Liam a knowing look when he’s finally got his shirt on, and sits on the bed next to him to lace his boots.

“You’re a right bastard.” Liam tells him, groaning and pulling himself up off the bed to get dressed himself.

Harry gives him a cheeky grin and shrugs.

Once Liam’s dressed (and a lot less hard), they head out to the stables.

There are people in the stables, Liam’s mum and a voice he vaguely recognises. They’re in the back, in Poppy’s stall, and Liam’s heart drops.

“Mum?”

His mum turns her head and smiles. “Hey love. Off for a ride?”

Liam nods, and realises he recognises the man in Poppy’s stall with his mum; the vet. “Is she alright?”

“Just fine, my love.” His mum says, nodding her head. “I asked Tom to come ‘round to test Poppy again.”

“And?” 

His mum shrugs and shakes her head sadly. “Still nothing.”

“Do you think maybe she can’t?”

His mum looks to the vet.

“It’s quite possible.” Tom says, nodding his head and giving Poppy a pat. “She’s still got a few years left of fertility, so you do never really know.”

Liam’s mum and the vet converse for a moment while Liam follows Harry into Jumanji’s stall. Harry’s got a handful of apple slices in his hand, holding one piece out in the other hand to the horse, and Liam hadn’t even realised he’d picked one up.

“There you go, boy.” 

Jumanji takes the slice, and then another, and then another, and then another until he’s eaten them all and Harry’s giggling because his hand is covered in slobber. Liam watches him, smiling fondly, and Harry turns to return the smile, eyes crinkling at the corners.

Once the horses are saddled they head out towards the pond, slow, quiet, savouring the ride.

-*-*-

**Friday 14th of October, 2016**

The rest of September and mid-October goes by in an endless daze of work and riding, Saturday nights at the pub, Sunday morning hangovers and weekly trips to Harry’s mum’s. Harry rarely sleeps anywhere but Liam’s bed, and it gets to the point where Liam realises he’s accidently moved all his clothes into Liam’s cupboard. They start planning the farm’s annual haunted house, and Liam realises he’s begun to dread Christmas and the lack of Harry that will follow. 

Liam’s half asleep when he finally finishes his last job for the day, heading to his place for a quick shower. His dad had given Harry a job to do by himself after lunch, and Liam hadn’t seen him for a few hours, but he’s in the cottage, nodding off on the bed with his fingers in Orpheus’s fur. He’s got a smear of dirt on his cheek and he smells like sweat and horses. He doesn’t notice Liam until he’s in front of the bathroom door, shirt off, shoes off and jeans unbuttoned.

“Hey.”

Liam pushes his jeans down his legs and gives Harry a soft smile. “Hey, darling. Doing alright?”

Harry nods sleepily. “Yeah.”

“Gonna come have a shower with me?” Liam asks, running his fingers through his hair.

Harry’s head rolls on his shoulders floppily as he turns to look at Liam. “C’mere?”

Liam snorts and stumbles towards the bed and climbs in next to Harry, curling around his side and pressing his face into Harry’s hip. He melts into the bed, into Harry’s body, and breathes heavily into the cloth of Harry’s shirt, closing his eyes. He curls his arm around Harry’s waist and threads his fingers through Orpheus’s fur. “Quick nap then we’ll shower.”

When Liam opens his eyes next, the room is dark and the sky outside is black. Harry’s still in his arms, but he’s laying down now, face pressed into Liam’s neck, Orpheus sleeping between them. He pulls away from Harry to check the time on his phone – 7:37 – sighs, and shakes Harry awake. As much as he’d like to sleep, he needs food, and they’re already seven minutes late for dinner.

“G’way, sleeping.”

Liam chuckles and presses a soft, warm kiss to Harry’s mouth, brushing his sleep-sweaty hair from his forehead. “It’s dinner time, love.”

Harry groans again but pushes himself up until he’s sitting, rubbing at his eyes. “Food.” He says, softly, like he’s almost saying it to himself. Liam chuckles and leans over to press a kiss to his forehead. 

Liam puts a t-shirt and a pair of joggers on and they head out to the main house, letting themselves in through the back. Everyone else is already at the table, eating, and they takes their seats with them.

“So I had an idea for our haunted house.” Liam’s mum says after a moment’s silence, as Liam and Harry are serving themselves cottage pie.

“Ooh,” Millie says, bouncing in her chair a little. “So did I! You go first.”

Liam’s mum rolls her eyes good-naturedly. “Harry’s gotten me into that show, The Walking Dead, and I thought perhaps we could have a zombie-themed haunted house.”

Millie pouts and crosses her arms like a petulant child. Gracie copies her for dramatic effect. “That was my idea you liar.”

Millie and Liam’s mum jokingly argue over it for a few minutes while Harry lays his head on Liam’s shoulder. “Actually, it was _my_ idea. I showed you the show for a reason.”

They both turn to look at Harry in unison and he hides a laugh with his jumper sleeve.  
“Nonetheless, the show is quite scary, so perhaps a PG version for the children.” Liam’s mum says, nodding her head.

They vaguely begin planning while they finish dinner and then desert. Millie, Gracie and Liam’s parents continue the brainstorming session in the lounge room while George heads home and Liam and Harry do the dishes.

Harry’s drying a plate when he turns to Liam with a lewd smile that makes him laugh. “You should dress as a fireman, but, like, the stripper firemen. Stripper fireman zombie.”

Liam laughs. “I’m sure the parents would love that.” He puts another plate in the drying rack and turns to a glass.

“The mothers certainly would.” Harry says, grinning brightly. “I would.”

Liam rolls his eyes and laughs again. “I know _you_ would.”

Harry wiggles his eyebrows and squeezes Liam’s arse for good measure before they get back to the dishes.

After the dishes are cleaned, dried and put away, they head back to the cottage to take a shower.

Liam pulls Harry into the hot shower after they’ve both stripped and presses him against the wall to kiss him thoroughly.

Harry chuckles into his mouth and winds his arms around Liam’s hips, pulling him closer so their wet skin slides against each other. He gets his thigh between Harry’s and grinds against him until they’re both hard and moaning into each other’s mouths. Liam reaches behind Harry and presses his middle finger to Harry’s hole, rubbing over it before pushing the tip inside him.

“Fuck, Liam.” Harry whimpers, bearing down on Liam’s finger so it slides in further. Liam wiggles it towards Harry’s prostate and lowers his mouth to Harry’s neck, pressing a soft, wet kiss to his pulse point.

“You’re so lovely, Harry.” Liam whispers against Harry’s ear, running his fingers through the strands of Harry’s wet hair. “So, so lovely. I can’t believe you’re even real.”

Liam’s chest hurts with how much he feels for Harry, how much he cares for him, and he tries to tell him with the way he kisses him, soft and slow and sweet. Harry melts into his arms and Liam knows he can feel it.

Harry pulls away from Liam and Liam watches his mouth open and close over and over again before he finally manages to get the words out. “I… I think I’m falling in love with you. I mean… I mean I am.”

Liam moves his hands from Harry’s arse and his hair, and takes his face in his hands and runs his thumbs over Harry’s cheekbones. “So am I.” He kisses Harry once and then reaches back to turn off the faucet, taking Harry’s hand in his and pulling him out of the shower. He finds a towel and wraps it around Harry, holding him close and kissing him softly.

-*-*-

**Sunday 23rd of October, 2016**

The farm next to the Payne’s gets a little short handed the week before Halloween, thanks to a tractor accident, so Liam volunteers his and Harry’s help. Harry thanks him by smacking him in the balls.

The couple that own the farm are very lovely, and Liam’s known them for so long they feel like his aunt and uncle and their sons like cousins. They have five sons, the youngest of which broke his leg when the tractor tipped to the side after riding the right wheels into a ditch.

He and Harry pick up Marcus’s slack, herding a paddock of cows into another paddock so it can be seeded once it’s cleaned of filth, filling the ditch the tractor had gone into, and other little jobs that’ll make it easier for Marcus’s older brother James and his wife Mary when they arrive the next day.

They finish by eight and ride Poppy and Jumanji back home, exhausted and starving though Frank and Anne had fed them lunch, dinner and snacks throughout the day to thank them, with fifty pounds each in their pockets as payment. They removed the saddles and bridles from the horses when they reach the stables, give them a quick but thorough wash before stumbling to the house, nicking a packet of biscuits from the cupboard and heading back to the cottage to shower and get in bed.

Once clean and smelling more like apples and less like sweat, they curl up together in bed and sleepily make their way through the biscuit packet.

“It’d be nice to have my own farm.” Liam says through a yawn, curling his arm around Harry’s belly. “Somewhere up north, where the snow’s thicker. Have a few kids, teach them how to ride horses and let them play in the mud.”

Harry hums around a biscuit and nods. “Sounds nice.”

They’re quite for a while, eating their biscuits. The rooms mostly dark, except for the lamp turned down low across the room, and feels like a secret when Liam mumbles, “Maybe you’d like to come with me.”

Except Harry’s asleep, and now it is a secret; a secret Liam can’t believe he spoke aloud.

He curls further around Harry and puts the biscuit packet on the bedside table, closing his eyes to sleep.

-*-*-

**Monday 31st of October, 2016**

Most of the Halloween preparations are done by four in the afternoon, the house, stables and barn transformed into dirty, scary, abandoned looking things, covered in spider webs and red paint that looks like blood, and skeletons from the FX shop in Manchester from last year’s Halloween. 

Harry helps Liam paint his wounds and blood on, with a practiced ease that makes Liam think he’s done it before. He’d gone with the zombie fireman stripper like Harry had suggested, but only because he’d begged, with a pair of black pants held up by braces, his work boots and a helmet from the same FX shop the skeletons came from. Harry had chosen to rip up a perfectly good pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, and had covered it in fake blood and this weird gooey substance he’d made in the kitchen the day before. He’s got a fake wound over his cheek with teeth that looks so real Liam has to remind himself it’s not.

They all meet in the kitchen at ten to six, and Liam has to admit, they all look pretty good. His parents are a bride and groom, Gracie’s wearing pyjamas and slippers, clutching a teddy bear, Millie’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt like Harry, and George looks like a scarecrow that’s come to life and jumped off his post.

Millie and Gracie take gate duty, George takes the barn, Liam’s parents take the house and Liam and Harry take the stables.

“You look pretty hot.” Harry says while they’re waiting, crowding Liam against the wall, grinning up at him. “Like, how do you look so hot as a zombie? What even the fuck.”

Liam laughs and swoops down for a snog, squeezing Harry’s hips. “It’s a talent.”

Harry rolls his eyes and pulls away to go give Jumanji a pat.

The first group come in ten minutes past, three children and two adults, and Liam scares the littlest one, a girl in a fairy costume, so awful he apologises to her parents for almost ten full minutes until they, and Harry, are laughing at him.

The night goes well. They get busy around seven thirty, and Liam and Harry don’t even get a ten minute brake for a snack, sneaking sips of water while the other distracts the children.

A girl in a witch costume asks if she can sit on one of the horses, and with her dad’s permission, Liam puts her up on Poppy while she cries out in glee.

A teenage boy, trudging after two younger sisters in matching princess dresses almost makes them cry by telling both Liam and Harry they don’t look real at all, poking at their wounds.

A lot of the mums give Liam appreciative looks, just like Harry guessed, and Harry gets so jealous when one of them squeezes Liam’s biceps with sharp nails he gives Liam a good snog in front of her and her kids. The oldest, a boy in a solider costume that looks no more than ten, tells them vehemently that they’re not supposed to kiss; they’re supposed to be scary, and kissing’s not scary, _“Not unless you have cooties, right?”_ It send Liam, Harry and the mum into fits of giggles before the family move on.

The lads arrive just before ten, when they’re getting ready to shut down, and invite them out for drinks. Louis looks like Peter Pan, Zayn’s a vampire, Niall’s in a Man U kit, ball and all, and Bressie’s some sort of sea monster with gills and slits for pupils and everything.

When the last family disappear out the gate at fifteen past ten, they pack into Bressie’s truck, with Harry on Liam’s lap to fit, and head out to the pub.

They sing along to the radio on the way there, and Harry wiggles his hips along to the beat until Liam’s hard. He knows when Harry realises, because he gets this cheeky look on his face and he’s grinding down against Liam properly, arse sliding against the bulge of Liam’s dick.

Liam turns to look at Zayn and Louis, just to make sure they haven’t noticed what Harry’s doing, and then to the front, at Niall and Bressie. They’re all too busy to realise Harry’s practically riding him right there.

Harry leans down so his mouth touches Liam’s throat, and presses a soft, chaste kiss there. “Want you to fuck me, Payno. Right here, with the lads watching. Want them to see how good you fuck me, how well I take your cock.”

Liam’s breath stutters and his heart races. It sounds so wrong, so dirty, but Liam wants it so bad. “Dirty mouth.” He says instead.

“Why don’t you make it dirtier?”

“Jesus Christ.”

Niall turns in his seat. “Would you two stop humping in my car?”

“Never!” Harry tells him, grinning cheekily, grinding down again until Liam’s groaning into his shoulder, cock hard and aching.

 _God_. Liam both curses and blesses the day Harry came to Blackridge.

The pub’s packed when they reach it, and almost everyone’s in fancy dress; pirates and vampires and witches and even a clown (Which Liam ignored vehemently. He _hated_ clowns).

They order shots and pints, and they’re regular table’s clear, almost like someone’s saved it for them, and they sit down to drink. There’s room for them all, but Harry decides he’d much rather sit in Liam’s lap, arse over his crotch, calves on either side of Liam’s thighs. Liam thinks, more than once, about bending Harry over the table and stuffing him full of cock.

Jesus _Christ_.

At one point Bressie and Niall disappear to the toilets to things Liam _really_ doesn’t want to think about, Louis and Zayn head out for a cigarette, and it’s just Harry and Liam left.

“I’ve a question.” Harry says, standing up and turning so he can get into Liam’s lap facing him, arms braced on either side of Liam’s shoulders, on the back of the seat. His pupils are dilated and his mouth’s red like it gets when they’ve been snogging for _ages_. “Why’d you, like, decide to kiss me, and then, like, fuck me? That time at Niall’s? Like, I mean, you never really said. We haven’t really breached the topic, like, of you suddenly going from straight to fucking a guy.”

Liam licks his lips, hums, and looks down as he gets his finger under the waistband of Harry’s jeans. “I had thought about it before, y’know. It’s not like I woke up one day and decided I was gonna get my dick in a lad. But, like, I never really did anything about it? I thought maybe I was just, like, going through a phase or something. And, I mean, it did fade, like a few months before you appeared. I was wanking off to pussies and tits and fucking girls, but. I mean, Harry, have you seen yourself? You’re fucking gorgeous, and funny and smart, and I just couldn’t think of anything else but you. And when you asked to kiss me, I just… I couldn’t help myself. They’re you were, begging me to fuck you and I just couldn’t… I couldn’t say no. Does that make any sense?”

Harry gets the fingers of one of his hands in Liam’s hair and nods. “So, you’re, like, what? Bisexual?”

“Maybe?” Liam offers, shrugging his shoulders. “Or maybe just Harry-sexual. I’ve not wanted to fuck a boy before you. Well…”

“Well?” Harry asks, and he looks both insanely jealous and insanely curious at the same time.

“Louis.”

“Louis?” Harry asks, confused for a moment before understanding crosses his features. “Louis. It’s the arse.”

Liam snorts. “The arse is quite nice, isn’t it?” He says before getting his hand in the back of Harry’s jeans, cupping his cheek. “I do like yours better, though. Much better.” He blinks around for a moment, at the crowd, at the barrier the separates the booths, before he blinks back up at Harry and wiggles his finger towards Harry’s hole, pushing the tip in so he whimpers. God, he’s still wet from this morning, like he didn’t wash the slick from his arse in the shower. He _wanted_ to be messy. 

“Liam, fuck.” Harry whimpers into the flesh of Liam’s throat, sucking at the skin under his chin hard until Liam’s sure there’ll be a mark there tomorrow. “Need you inside me.”

Liam pulls his finger from Harry’s hole and his hand from Harry’s jeans and ignores his whine in order to get him off his lap. “Shit, gotta, gotta find somewhere.”

Liam eyes Bressie’s keys from across the table for a long time before deciding he can take the ribbing he’ll receive and snatches them up, standing and tugging Harry out of the booth as Louis and Zayn reappear.

Harry presses Liam up against the side of the car when they reach it, getting his thighs around one of Liam’s to grind down on, snogging him thoroughly. Liam gets the back door open and falls back into the seat, licking into Harry’s mouth while they giggle and try to get in properly to shut the door behind themselves.

Liam sits in the middle and Harry gets into his lap, grinding down onto his crotch, cock hard and hot in his jeans.

They must look a sight, two zombies grinding in the backseat of a car in the carpark of a pub, but Liam really can’t find an ounce in him that gives a fuck, not when he’s got Harry on top of him, moaning into his mouth.

He tugs Harry’s shirt up and off him, and throws it somewhere in the front seat, reaching up to tug at one of Harry’s nipples until he whimpers.

“You’re so pretty, babe, so fucking pretty.” Liam mumbles, nipping at Harry’s bottom lip. 

Harry gets his hands into Liam’s pants and cups his cock, squeezing and tugging, and Liam moans. It feels so warm in the car, hot and sweaty and dirty.

“Get your pants off.” Liam says, pulling one of the braces from his shoulder, then following it with the other while Harry tugs his hand from Liam’s cock to get out of his jeans and briefs. It’s a little awkward in the cramped back seat, but Harry gets his done, kicking his shoes off and helping Liam with his own pants.

When they’re both naked and Harry’s back in Liam’s lap, Liam gets two fingers up inside Harry’s hole and nips at his jaw as he stretches them apart.  
“So good for me, Harry, so tight.”

He pulls his fingers out after only a few moments and takes his cock, pressing the head to Harry’s hole.

Harry pushes himself down with a drawn out _oh_ and Liam takes a hold of his hips to steady him.

“Go on, babe, ride me.”

Harry gets his hands on the back of the seat and lifts up, off Liam’s cock ‘til only the heads still in, then falls back down again, doing it over and over again, up, down, in, out, moaning breathily into the air, neck and back arched beautifully.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, so fucking good.” Harry says. Liam gets a hand in his curls and tugs his head back so he can suck a bruise into Harry’s throat.

Harry’s so hot and tight around him, and his moans are so pretty, and Liam knows he’s not gonna last long. His hands find Harry’s hips again, and he kisses him messily while he fucks his cock up into him. His fingers press bruises into Harry’s skin, and Harry’s just panting against his lips now, unable to do more than that when Liam’s dicking into him like he is.

Liam comes first, hips stuttering in their rhythm as he spurts up inside Harry, moaning his pleasure into Harry’s ear. He keeps fucking Harry through his sensitivity, he wants to see him come so bad, and he’s not disappointed when only moments later Harry’s mouth opens into a silent scream, his back arching as his come splatters onto Liam’s belly.

Liam kisses Harry softly until they’ve both come down, whispering praises into his mouth like prayers. “Did so good babe, rode me like a champ. Gonna eat my come out of you when we get home, make you come all over again.”

Harry whimpers and tucks his face into Liam’s neck.

After a long time of sitting and basking and cuddling, Harry pulls off Liam with a slick sound and they get dressed through soft kisses. The car smells like sex, and the windows are fogged, and there’s no way the others won’t be able to tell what they’ve done, but Liam can’t be bothered to care.

They leave one of the windows open just a touch in hopes it’ll air out the car when they head back into the pub to find the others.

They’re all at the table with more pints and somehow Liam manages to sneak the keys back on the table without Niall and Bressie even noticing they’d been gone.

-*-*-

**Friday 9th of December, 2016**

Christmas draws closer and closer, and it creates an anxiety in Liam’s chest he can’t bare. He’s noticed himself pulling away from Harry, and he’s noticed the hurt it puts in his eyes.

Liam can’t bare the thought of losing Harry after Christmas, it makes his chest tight and the back of his eyes burn. He wants him to stay forever, by Liam’s side, in Liam’s bed, but he knows he can’t. This wasn’t… Harry’s future isn’t with Liam. It’s with his mum in Cheshire, with his family, not with a farmboy on a property in the middle of nowhere. He deserves a good life, and Liam has to let him have it, whether he wants to or not.

Harry had stopped sleeping in his cottage at the beginning of the month, and it makes Liam’s bed feel cold and empty. It’s Liam’s own fault, really.

When they see each other, when they did their jobs, they barely talked, it was awkward and lonely.

He misses him so bad.

It’s the second Friday of December when Liam’s mum finally decides to butt in, locking – _locking_ – the two of them in the kitchen at dinner time, herding the others into the lounge room for supper in front of the telly.

Liam sat down first, staring down at his plate while Harry stood by the fridge.

“You’ve been ignoring me.” Harry says, so quite Liam almost misses it.

Liam wipes a bit of gravy off the table top and says, just as quietly, “You’re leaving in two weeks.”

Something hard hits Liam in the shoulder and then clatters to the floor. A spoon? He blinks up to Harry, who’s got this murderous look on his face, hands clenched tight.

“I fucking hate you, you’re a fucking idiot!” Harry takes another piece of cutlery, a fork this time, and throws it at Liam. It narrowly misses catching Liam in the face. “Fucking wanker!” another spoon hits the back of his hand when he holds it up to protect his face.

“Why are you throwing shit at me?” Liam cries, standing up from the chair so fast it falls back with a thud.”

“Because you’re a fucking wanker, that’s fucking why!” Harry says, picking up a butter knife. Before he can throw it, Liam’s across the room and taking Harry’s wrist tightly into his hand.

“Stop fucking throwing things at me!”

Harry’s hand unclenches and the knife clatters to the floor. He’s not done yet, though, not nearly. Harry raises his free hand and slaps Liam so hard he knows there’ll be a red mark there tomorrow. Liam takes his other wrist and squeezes Harry’s feet between his own so he can’t kick him.

“Why are you so fucking violent?”

Harry struggles to free himself, but Liam’s so much stronger than him, how had he never realised it before? “I fucking hate you, you’re so fucking stupid! If you’d only just asked! How hard is it to say _are you staying? _”__

__Liam frowns and he’s silent for a long, long time while Harry pants. “I didn’t know if I wanted to hear the answer.” He admits softly, blinking down at his feet, letting go of Harry’s wrists and taking a few steps backwards._ _

__Harry sighs, and the tensions goes out of him in a wave, from his head to his toes. “You’re a fucking idiot, Liam Payne.” Harry’s fingers appear under Liam’s chin to tilt it up so Liam’s looking at him. “You’re so fucking thick, I swear to god.” Harry’s thumb drags over his jaw and Liam revels in the touch after weeks without it. “I can’t even believe you. If you’d have asked, I would have told you that I’m leaving on the twenty-fourth-” Liam winces. “I’m not finished, twat. I’m leaving on the twenty-fourth and I’m coming back on the twenty-eight and you and me, we’re going to London for New Year’s, just us. And then, when we come back, Geoff’s hiring me as a proper hand.”_ _

__Liam’s speechless for a moment, trying to put it all together in his brain, and then he’s suddenly feeling a bit stupid. Well, a lot stupid. He flushes._ _

__“There you go, you stupid fuck, it’s penetrated your thick skull now.” Harry takes Liam’s face in his hands and presses their foreheads together. “You’re a fucking wanker.”_ _

__“I know.” Liam says, blinking his eyes closed, shaking his head. “I’m so fucking stupid. I’m so sorry.”_ _

__“You better fucking be, you prick.” Harry says, but his voice is teasing and he’s smiling softly. “I think you own me a spectacular _I’m sorry_ gift. I’m think chocolates and wine and a good fuck. I’ve had nothing but my hand for _ages_.”_ _

__Liam takes the back of Harry’s neck and kisses him softly, whispering _sorry_ over and over again into his mouth before it changes and it’s something more like _I love you_ and _I missed you_._ _

__“I love you, too, you fucking dolt.”_ _

__-*-*-_ _

__**Sunday 1st of January, 2017** _ _

__Liam doesn’t think he’s ever seen anything more beautiful than Harry on his back with Liam’s cock up his arse, chest and cheeks flushed, panting, moonlight painting his skin. But Harry, bathed in the yellows and greens and reds of fireworks is just fucking _mesmerising_._ _

__“Keep going, c’mon, gonna come.” Harry mumbles._ _

__“Just enjoying the view, lovely.” Liam says, hands sliding from Harry’s hips up to his chest, thumbing over his nipples until he’s whimpering. “You’re so pretty, I think I’ll keep you forever.”_ _

__Harry lets out a bark of laughter that quickly turns into a drawn out whimper when Liam slides his cock out of Harry and fucks back in, picking the rhythm back up. “You do that.” He finally manages to choke out._ _

__Liam thinks he will._ _


End file.
